[Indications for thoracotomy in pulmonary metastatic sarcoma and its prognosis]

Between 1960 and 1987, 46 patients underwent thoracotomy for pulmonary metastatic sarcoma. The histologic classification of the sarcoma was osteosarcoma in 33 patients, other malignant bone tumors in 6 and soft tissue sarcoma in 7. The cumulative five-year survival rate of the 33 patients with osteosarcoma was 23%. Ten patients survived more than 3 years and 8 of them are still alive without pulmonary metastasis. Prognosis was significantly better with intensive multidrug chemotherapy. In this series, prognosis was not significantly related to the interval from initial onset to initial treatment, that from initial treatment to pulmonary metastasis and that from pulmonary metastasis to initial thoracotomy. The five-year survival rate of the 6 patients with other malignant bone tumors was 35%, and that of the 7 patients with soft tissue sarcoma 26%. Good indications for thoracotomy in pulmonary metastatic osteosarcoma are: (1) the primary sarcoma is resected, (2) the interval from initial treatment to pulmonary metastases is more than 6 months, (3) the number of pulmonary metastases is less than 4 or 5 nodules, and (4) the number and diameter of pulmonary metastases is controlled with chemotherapy within 2 or 3 months after occurrence of metastasis.