Resection of pulmonary metastases from renal cell carcinoma

Between 1980 and 1995, 77 patients underwent complete resection of pulmonar y metastases fi om a renal cell carcinoma after exclusion of a primary tumo r recurrence and other metastatic localizations. 30-day mortality was 3%. T he Median follow-rip was 34 months (M). Cumulative 5-year survival (5-YS) w as 39%. Prognostic criteria are the duration of the disease-fi ee interval (DFI) and the number of metastases. Patients with a DFI greater than or equ al to 45 M had a 5-YS of 46% compared to 26% for a DFI of < 48 M. Patients with a solitary metastasis had a 5-YS of 49% compared ed to 19% for multipl e metastases. There was no significant difference in terms of sex kind of a ccess, kind of operation, and unilateral or bilateral affection. Since meta stases from renal cell carcinomas are almost resistant to chemotherapy radi otherapy and immunotherapy at present does not considerably improve long-te rm survival, surgical resection currently is the only effective therapeutic access in I renal cell cancer metastasized to the lung.