Cell & Developmental Biology
Open Access

Abstract

Surgery of Pulmonary Metastases: Series of 85 Patients

Núria Prenafeta Claramunt, Vicenç Artigas Raventós, Guillermo Gómez Sebastián, Elisabeth Martínez Téllez and Josep Belda Sanchís

Introduction: Lung metastases are the second leading cause of lung resection, constituting 30-40% of all surgeries performed in the field of Thoracic Surgery. Resection of pulmonary metastases is an open issue that generates various controversies. Depending on the functional respiratory capacity of the pulmonary metastatic patient, may come to consider multiple surgeries in the same patient, as many as the patient is able to tolerate by his or her respiratory reserve.

Goal: Study of the results from surgical resection of pulmonary metastases in general and in particular those of colorectal origin. Patients and methods: Descriptive and observational retrospective study of 85 patients with pulmonary metastases who underwent surgery at our centre from January 2003 to December 2007.

Results: Surgery was performed in 85 patients, 56 males (66%) and 29 women (34%) with a mean
age of 55.14 years (range 22-82 years). The PMCRC (Pulmonary Metastases from Colorectal Cancer)
correspond to 30 patients, meaning a 35% of all resected metastases. Next in frequency were the lung
metastases of osteosarcoma, 16 (19%). And really close, metastases of soft tissue sarcoma, 11 (13%).
The average overall survival from PM (Pulmonary Metastases) of colorectal origin was 36.64 months (range 18.58 to 54.70 months). If we break down the overall survival at one and three years, we get a probability of survival of 96% compared to 62%.

Conclusions: Although surgery cannot change the biological essence of the metastatic process, complete resection of pulmonary metastases in appropriated selected patients, can provide a significant increase in survival or even a complete and permanent remission of the tumor.