RADIOIMMUNOASSISTED SURGERY FOR LUNG METASTASES FROM COLORECTAL-CANCER - RESULTS AND PERSPECTIVES

The high incidence of resectable lung metastases from colorectal cance r and the very poor prognosis of untreated patients (less than 24-mont h survival) has promoted the surgical approach to treatment. Since the main aims of this kind of surgery are the complete resection of the t umor, the preservation of tumor-free parenchyma, and a minimal surgica l trauma, innovative surgical techniques have been developed. We repor t on our experience in the radioimmunoassisted pulmonary metastasectom y by the use of a handheld gamma-detecting probe (GDP) and describe th e application of the intraoperative radioimmunolocalization of tumor t o video-assisted minimally invasive surgery. Semin. Surg. Oncol. 15:22 3-225, 1998. (C) 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.