[Lung metastases--can resection also be justified in synchronous liver metastasis?]

There is general agreement on the preconditions necessary for the resection of lung metastases: the primary tumor has to be resected completely, a local tumor recurrence as well as metastases in other organs have to be excluded. 5-year survival rate of patients operated under these criteria is said to be about 20 to 40% (number of own patients: 72; 5-year survival rate: 30.2%. Only in a few cases, however, lack of metastases in other organs is given. Often there are synchronic liver metastases. Local intraarterial chemotherapy doesn't put much burden on the patient, induces a decrease of liver metastases in 30% and a complete remission in a few cases, respectively. Between 1981 and 1987 we performed local chemotherapy of the liver in 575 patients. 110 patients showed lung metastases in the course of the treatment or during the aftercare period. In 8 patients we resected lung metastases occurring after remission of liver metastases. 7 patients died 11 to 28 months after the operation, 1 patient is still alive 16 months postoperatively.