[Surgical resection of pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer]

Pulmonary resection of metastatic lesions from colorectal cancer was performed in 19 patients. The cumulative 5-year survival after thoracotomy was 39%. Patients with either one or two metastases has a significantly better survival, with a 5-year survival of 55%, than did those with a greater degree of metastases. Other factors had no apparent influence on postthoracotomy survival. Therefore, the number of metastases should be carefully considered when pulmonary resection is considered for metastatic colorectal cancer.