100 cases of tumor metastatic to lung and mediastinum. Treatment and results

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Abstract
One hundred cases of metastasis to lung or mediastinum from art extrathoracic source were reviewed. Fifty-nine patients were considered inoperable following initial investigation, 8 were unre sec table at thoracotomy, and 8 had palliative resections or resection prior to control of the primary. None of these survived beyond 26 months. Twenty-five patients had resections for cure, with a 5- and 10-year survival of 47% (9 of 19 survivors) and 25% (3 of 12 survivors), respectively. Criteria for selection included control of the primary lesion with metastases limited to 1 lung. Best results were obtained when pulmonary metastases were detected more than 1 year following control of the primary lesion. About 5% of all patients with visceral malignancy manifest a pulmonary metastasis which should meet these criteria. Resection is possible with a low operative mortality (3%) and a prognosis often better than with bron-chogenic carcinoma.