Surgery for pulmonary metastases from renal cell carcinoma. Army experience from 1977-1987

The Army Medical Centers' combined ten-year experience (1977-1987) with renal cell carcinoma metastatic to the lung is presented. Those patients who underwent resection of the lung metastases were compared with those who did not. Certain factors within the two groups were analyzed mainly for effect on survival: number and location of pulmonary metastases, disease-free interval from nephrectomy, extent of lung resection, and synchronous vs asynchronous metastases. Comparisons were made with reports from the literature, and conclusions were made in reference to indications for resection and other modes of therapy.