[Cryosurgical resection of pulmonary metastases (experience of twenty years)]

Cryosurgical resection of pulmonary metastases was performed in 112 patients from 1973 to 1993. The cumulative 1, 3, 5, 10 year survival rate was 80.37%, 41.81%, 28.01% and 17.28%. One patient died of respiratory failure after operation. Thirty-day mortality rate was 0.89%. The disease-free interval (DFI) between the control of primary tumor and appearance of metastases was significantly correlated with post-thoracotomy survival. The multiple factor analysis also demonstrated that DFI was the most important prognostic factor for patients after cryosurgical resection of pulmonary metastatic lesions. The overall 5 year survival rate of patients treated with cryosurgery in our report was higher than that of those treated by local resection of pulmonary metastases reported by other authors. Our results indicated that cryosurgical resection of pulmonary metastases was effective and safe, the survival time of most patients could be prolonged and some patients could be cured.