[Surgical therapy of lung metastases-indications, technique, results]

Due to the absence of established guidelines for the surgical treatment of lung metastases, informational prognostic factors such as: initial primary tumor, length of disease-free interval and number of lung metastases, can be derived from extensive, retrospective patient analyses and thereby serve as a directive in the development of a therapeutic course of treatment. The ultimate surgical goal is a complete, yet, parenchymal-sparing tumor resection. Regardless of primary tumor type, the 5-year survival rate for resected patients varies between 26 and 53%. Controversy still remains as to whether lung metastases should be removed either via open thoracotomy, or under video thoracoscopic conditions. Independent of surgical approach, thoracic surgical operations are associated with very low rates of morbidity as well as mortality even in patients of advanced age.