[Results of pulmonary resection for metastatic renal cell carcinoma]

Nine cases of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the lung were studied to assess the efficacy of surgical management. Between January, 1965 and December 1981, 116 cases of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the lung were treated. Nine of these cases (7.8%), were treated with surgical resection for the pulmonary metastases. The overall crude survival rate after pulmonary resection was 33.3% (3/9) at 3 years and 22.2% (2/9) at 5 years. Two patients are long-term survivors, one still being in good health 108 months, and the other 72 months after pulmonary resection. Pulmonary resection for metastatic renal cell carcinoma was considered effective in some selected slow-growing cases as protection against metastasis from a metastasis.