title: Clinical Significance of Multiple Pulmonary Metastasectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The lung is the most common site of extrahepatic metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the significance and long-term outcomes of pulmonary metastasectomy for HCC, especially in patients with multiple nodules or repeated pulmonary recurrence.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed 19 patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for HCC at our institution from 1993 to 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No in-hospital mortality occurred. The 19 patients included 14 men. The median age was 61 (range 20-76) years. Eight patients (42 %) had single pulmonary metastatic lesions, whereas 4 (21 %) had >10 lesions. Median follow-up after pulmonary metastasectomy was 23.1 (6.3-230) months. Twelve patients died, and the cause of death was HCC progression in nine. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates after pulmonary metastasectomy were 89, 48, 48, and 21 %, respectively. Seven patients developed pulmonary recurrence after initial pulmonary metastasectomy. Five of the seven underwent repeat metastasectomy, with a median survival time of 65 months, and 2- and 3-year survival rates of 100 and 67 %, respectively. The 2- and 3-year survival rates in the four patients with >10 pulmonary nodules were 75 and 50 %, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgical resection is a safe and effective treatment in selected patients with pulmonary metastasis from HCC, even in those with multiple nodules. Repeated locoregional therapy for lung recurrence might help to improve survival in these patients.
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Osaka City University Hospital, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan. m1293795@msic.med.osaka-cu.ac.jp.
authors: Shinjiro
authors: S
authors: Mizuguchi
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Osaka City University Hospital, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors: Noritoshi
authors: N
authors: Nishiyama
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Osaka City University Hospital, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors: Nobuhiro
authors: N
authors: Izumi
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Osaka City University Hospital, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors: Takuma
authors: T
authors: Tsukioka
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Osaka City University Hospital, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors: Hiroaki
authors: H
authors: Komatsu
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, Osaka City University Hospital, 1-4-3 Asahimachi, Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.
authors: Takashi
authors: T
authors: Iwata
authors: Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Shogo
authors: S
authors: Tanaka
authors: Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Shigekazu
authors: S
authors: Takemura
authors: Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Osaka City University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Shoji
authors: S
authors: Kubo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D059146:Metastasectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D055613:Multiple Pulmonary Nodules / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000556:secondary / Q000601:surgery*; D011013:Pneumonectomy; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult