[Oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer--surgical options and therapy strategies]

The therapeutic strategies for oligometastatic non-small cell lung cancer have changed over the last decade from palliative to curative intent. The role of surgery in this multimodal treatment in selected patients remains a subject for open discussion.

Data of 34 patients with one or two metastases treated from January 1998 to January 2013 were retrospectively analysed.

The mean age was 59.7 (± 10.1) years. The male vs. female ratio was 20 vs. 14. Adenocarcinoma was the most common histological type (58.8 %). The synchronous metastases were present in 15 patients, the metachronous in 19 patients. Single metastases were present in 27 patients, two metastases in 7 patients. The most frequently involved organs were brain (58.8 %) and the lungs (23.6 %). The primary tumour resection was achievable in 20 patients as R0 and in 2 patients as R1. The median overall survival, the local and the systemic disease-free survivals in the entire group were 40, 38 and 25 months, respectively. The 5 year overall survival, the 5 year local and systemic disease-free survivals were 29.2, 26.9 and 16.5 %, respectively. The treatment strategies including surgery for primary tumour as well as for pulmonary metastases site, combined with the lymph node dissection and the resection of the extracerebral and cerebral metastases, were identified as independent prognostic factors for long-term survival.

Surgery in oligometastatic non-small cell lung carcinoma is feasible for primary tumour and for metastases. It is an effective option in the multimodal treatment in highly selected patients. The lymph node dissection should remain an important integral part of the surgical treatment.