Pulmonary resection for metastases from colorectal carcinoma

A pulmonary resection of metastatic colorectal carcinoma is an accepted method of treatment. The purpose of this study was to confirm the role of resections for pulmonary metastases from colorectal carcinoma, and to determine the clinical course, outcome, and prognostic factors after surgery. A retrospective analysis was conducted of the records of all patients with pulmonary metastases from colorectal carcinoma who underwent a surgical resection between 1995 and 2008, at a single surgical center. The overall 5-year survival rate was 74%. Multivariate Cox analysis demonstrated that the number of pulmonary metastases (HR: 9.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.08-82.2, P=0.0428) and prethoracotomy carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level (HR: 9.79, 95% CI: 1.11-86.8, P=0.0404) were statistically significant predictors of survival after the first pulmonary metastasectomy. In addition, a second resection for recurrent metastases was performed in eight patients, and a third resection was done in one patient. There were no major postoperative complications among the patients who underwent second or third resections. Pulmonary resections are considered to be a safe and effective treatment in selective patients.