Pulmonary resection for metastasis from esophageal carcinoma

Pulmonary metastasectomy has become the standard therapy for various metastatic malignancies to the lungs; however, few data have been available regarding lung metastasectomy for esophageal carcinoma. To confirm a role for resection of pulmonary metastases for such tumors, we reviewed our institutional experience. Between 2001 and 2007, five patients with pulmonary metastases from esophageal carcinoma underwent complete pulmonary resection. All patients had undergone curative resection of their primary esophageal carcinomas and also had obtained locoregional control of their primaries. Disease-free interval varied from 13 to 56 months, with a median of 21 months. In three patients, lung metastases were found to be unilateral and solitary. The other two patients presented several metastases in the unilateral or bilateral lungs. All patients underwent wedge resection or segmentectomy. Currently, four patients are alive without evidence of disease and one patient has died of disease. All patients undertook or were going to undertake chemotherapy after the pulmonary metastasectomy. Three patients with solitary metastasis are all alive without disease 13, 48, and 90 months after the first pulmonary metastasectomy, respectively. Pulmonary metastasectomy for esophageal carcinoma with postoperative chemotherapy was seemingly justified. Solitary pulmonary metastasis might be a good candidate for favorable prognostic factor.