2001 Volume 15 Issue 2 Pages 92-98
Between November 1991 and December 1999, 20 patients underwent surgical resection for pulmonary metastasis from colorectal cancer in our hospital. This study reviewed 10 of these patients who also underwent resection of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer. There were 7 men and 3 women whose median age was 61 years. The primary site was the colon in 4 patients and the rectum in 6 patients. The stage of primary colorectal tumor was classified as II in 4 patients, III in 1 patient, IV in 5 patients. Three patients underwent hepatic resection metachronously with the primary colorectal tumor ; 2 patients underwent resection of both hepatic and pulmonary metastases metachronously with the primary lesion ; 4 patients underwent pulmonary resection after synchronous resection of hepatic metastasis and the primary lesion ; and 1 patient underwent hepatic and pulmonary resection for synchronous metastases with the primary lesion. No surgical mortality occurred in these patients. The 3-year and 5 -year survival rates were 66.7% and 22.2% respectively after primary resection. The survival rates were higher for metachronous metastases (n=5) than for synchronous metastases (n=5), although a significant difference was not demonstrated. Surgical resection for metachronous metastases was effective while for synchronous metastases, no evidence of an effect was displayed.
