Pulmonary resection for metastatic laryngeal carcinoma

In a 5 year period, 11 patients were referred to our department as candidates for resection of pulmonary metastases from laryngeal carcinoma. At thoracotomy, a second primary tumor of the lung was discovered in three patients (27%). The other eight were considered eligible for thoracotomy and were subsequently proved to have metastases. Two of these patients (Group I) refused surgical treatment and died after 10 and 12 months; histologic diagnosis was obtained at autopsy. Six patients (Group II) underwent curative resection: Two of them have died (26 and 34 months) and four are alive and free of disease 40, 43, 46, and 55 months after thoracotomy. The disease-free interval, stage of primary tumor at laryngectomy, and single versus multiple metastases do not seem to affect survival. We conclude that lung resection increases survival in patients with pulmonary metastases from laryngeal carcinoma.