Objectives: Our objective was to evaluate the validity of pulmonary metastasectomy for postoperative colorectal cancer with hepatic metastasis and to investigate the role of clinicopathological factors as predictors of outcome.
Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer with (group PH, n=27) or without (group P, n=46) a history of hepatic metastasis were included in the study. Clinicopathological variables, including sex, age, site, serum carcinoembryonic antigen level of the primary tumor, disease-free interval, prior hepatic resection, timing of pulmonary metastases, preoperative chemotherapy, type of pulmonary resection, and number, size, and location of pulmonary metastases were retrospectively collected and investigated for prognostic significance.
Results: The 5-year survivals were 59.5% (PH) and 70.0% (P) with no significant difference. Among all investigated prognostic variables, sex (female vs male) and the number of pulmonary metastases( 1 vs >1) were the most important factors affecting outcome after colorectal resection and pulmonary resection.
Conclusions: Pulmonary resection is not contraindicated in clinical practice. The presence of female gender and a single pulmonary metastasis were favorable predictors of survival after complete pulmonary resection for metastatic colorectal cancer.