[Pulmonary metastases. Apropos of 40 cases]

This is a retrospective study of 40 patients with pulmonary metastasis who underwent resection. Metastasis were solitary in 28, few in 12: seven in one lung and 5 bilateral. Most were asymptomatic and were discovered during routine follow-up examinations. The most frequent primary tumors were (in decreasing order) colorectal in 11, a sarcoma (bone or soft tissue) in 9, a non-seminoma testicular tumor in 5. Resection was either uni- or bilateral through a posterolateral thoracotomy or sternotomy. Postoperative mortality and morbidity were negligible. Our experience is not large enough to have a precise opinion, and resection of pulmonary metastasis, usually between chemotherapy administration, gives good long-term results.