Lung Metastasectomy for Pulmonary Metastatic Breast Carcinoma

Breast carcinoma with pulmonary metastasis can be treated locally or systemically. Following primary tumour resection patients with isolated, completely resectable pulmonary nodules and definite functional operability can be offered lung metastasis resection. Following metastasectomy a median survival of 32 to 96.6 months can be achieved with corresponding five-year survival rates between 30.8 and 54.4%. The procedure is associated with a mortality rate of 0 to 3%. The most important independent prognostic factor for long-term survival is complete resection of all lung lesions. The configuration and pattern of metastasis as well as disease-free interval, hormone and HER2/neu receptor status also appear to influence prognosis, but are of lesser importance. Intrapulmonary recurrence of metastases may, after careful selection on a case-by-case basis, also be treated operatively. In some cases this is associated with a favourable long-term prognosis. Pulmonary metastasectomy should be the treatment of choice for selected patients with metastatic breast carcinoma.