Repeated resection of recurrent pulmonary metastatic soft tissue sarcoma

A series of nine patients who presented with recurrent lung metastases from soft tissue sarcoma after pulmonary surgery were treated with a second or further thoracotomy. There were no postoperative deaths. The median interval between the first and second thoracotomy was 23 months. Four patients underwent three or more operations. Post-thoracotomy survival was 24-209 months after the first thoracotomy. Five patients are alive after repeated thoracotomies more than 10 years after initial treatment of the primary STS. It is concluded that in cases of recurrent lung metastases from STS repeated thoracotomy is the best therapy if all metastases can be removed completely.