Surgical treatment of lung metastases: prognostic factors for long-term survival

Surgery versus stereotactic radiotherapy for treatment of pulmonary metastases. A systematic review of literature

It is not clear as to which is the best treatment among surgery and stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT) for lung oligometastases. A systematic review of literature with a priori selection criteria was conducted on articles on the treatment of pulmonary metastases with surgery or SBRT. Only original articles with a population of patients of more than 50 were selected. After final selection, 61 articles on surgical treatment and 18 on SBRT were included. No difference was encountered in short-term survival between pulmonary metastasectomy and SBRT. In the long-term surgery seems to guarantee better survival rates. Mortality and morbidity after treatment are 0–4.7% and 0–23% for surgery, and 0–2% and 4–31% for SBRT. Surgical metastasectomy remains the treatment of choice for pulmonary oligometastases.

Patients with metastatic cancer with a limited number of deposits may benefit from surgical removal or irradiation of tumor nodules in addiction to chemotherapy. Surgical resection has been demonstrated to improve survival and, in some cases, can be curative. Stereotactic radiotherapy is emerging as a less invasive alternative to surgery, but settings and implications of the two treatments are profoundly different. The two techniques show similar results in the short-term, with lower complications rates for radiotherapy, while in the long-term surgery seems to guarantee higher survival rates.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Versus Metastasectomy in Patients With Pulmonary Metastases From Soft Tissue Sarcoma

The lung is the preferred site of metastasis from soft tissue sarcoma (STS). This systematic review aims to evaluate the outcomes of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and metastasectomy (MTS) for the treatment of lung metastases from STS. A systematic review was carried out according to the PRISMA protocol. PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Ovid and Web of Knowledge databases were searched for English-language articles to December 2018 using a predefined strategy. Retrieved studies were independently screened and rated for relevance. Data were extracted by two researchers. In total, there were 1306 patients with STS: 1104 underwent MTS and 202 had SBRT. The mean age ranged from 40 to 55.8 years in the MTS group and from 47.9 to 64 years in the SBRT group. The cumulative death rate was 72% (95% confidence interval 59-85%) in the MTS group and 56% (38-74%) in the SBRT group. The cumulative mean overall survival time was 46.7 months (36.4-57.0%) in the MTS group and 47.6 months (33.7-61.5%) in the SBRT group. The cumulative rate of patients alive with disease was 5% (2-9%) in the MTS group and 15% (6-36%) in the SBRT group. Finally, the cumulative rate of patients alive without disease in the two groups was 19% (9-29%) and 20% (10-50%), respectively. Our study showed that local treatment of pulmonary metastases from STS with SBRT, compared with surgery, was associated with a lower cumulative overall death rate and similar overall survival time and survival rates without disease. By contrast, SBRT was associated with a higher survival rate with disease than MTS. Large randomised trials are necessary to confirm these findings and to establish whether SBRT may be a reliable option for early stage disease.

Regional chemotherapy of the lung: transpulmonary chemoembolization in malignant lung tumors

Standard treatment options in patients with lung cancer and pulmonary metastases are surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. For reducing clinical complications of surgery and achieving a better local response, transpulmonary chemoembolization of the lungs is a possible interventional technique in which anticancer drugs are administered directly into a tumor through its feeding vessels followed by occlusive agents that are injected through the delivery catheter for blocking the vessel. This allows a longer contact period in the tumor with a higher cytostatic drug concentration. The technique is safe and results present promising local response rates, but the influence on survival is still questionable. This article describes the current role of intravascular therapies in the treatment of pulmonary malignancies.

Treatment of soft tissue sarcoma: a European approach

This article discusses the treatment of adult soft tissue sarcoma (excluding gastrointestinal stromal tumor), analyzing the principles underlying treatment and the results of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The focus is on the European approach in particular, and ongoing studies are summarized.

Transpulmonary chemoembolization: a novel approach for the treatment of unresectable lung tumors

This article describes the technique of transpulmonary chemoembolization for the palliative treatment of unresectable lung tumors. Early utilization of this method has resulted in reduction in tumor volume and alleviation of patient symptoms. After superselective catheterization, cytotoxic agents are administered, and the pulmonary arterial supply of the tumor is occluded by injection of microspheres and ethiodized oil. Emerging data suggest that this approach is well tolerated.

Treatment of unresectable lung metastases with transpulmonary chemoembolization: preliminary experience

Transpulmonary chemoembolization (TPCE) was evaluated as a new treatment for unresectable lung metastases. Institutional review board approval and patient consent were obtained. In 23 patients, 26 lung metastases of different origins were treated locally by using a transpulmonary approach. After femoral vein puncture, tumor-supplying pulmonary arteries were selectively explored, and 5-10 mg mitomycin C and 5-10 mL iodized oil and microsphere particles were applied with balloon protection. Diagnosis and follow-up (3-month intervals) were performed with unenhanced and contrast material-enhanced computed tomography (CT). Treatment was well tolerated in all patients, with no major side effects or complications. As indicated by using morphologic criteria, volume regression of embolized areas was achieved in eight patients, while stable disease was revealed at follow-up in six patients. In nine patients, progression of treated intrapulmonary metastases was recorded. TPCE could be a well-tolerated palliative treatment option in patients with pulmonary metastases.

Saline infusion markedly reduces impedance and improves efficacy of pulmonary radiofrequency ablation

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a relatively new technique that has been investigated for the treatment of lung tumors. We evaluated for the first time the in vivo use of saline infusion during radiofrequency ablation of sheep lung. We performed RFA on 5 sheep using open and closed chest RFA and the RITA starburst XL and Xli probes using saline infusion with the Xli probe. The impedance and volume of ablation were compared. A total of 16 ablations were produced, 5 percutaneously and 11 open. The impedance during percutaneous and open RFA without saline infusion was 110 +/- 16.2 and 183.3 +/- 105.8 ohms, respectively. With the saline infusion the impedance was 71.3 +/- 22 ohms and 103.6 +/- 37.5 ohms. The effect of this was significantly larger volume of ablation using the saline infusion during percutaneous RFA (90.6 +/- 23 cm3 vs 10.47 +/- 2.9 cm3, p = 0.01) and open RFA (107.8 +/- 25.8 cm3 vs 24.9 +/- 19.3 cm3, p = 0.0002). Saline infusion during RFA is associated with lower impedance, higher power delivery and larger lesion size.

Role of surgical resection for lung, liver, and central nervous system metastases in patients with gynecological cancer: a literature review

Many reports of ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancers metastatic to lung, liver, and brain have been published. A fewer number of them focused on the surgical treatment for these patients. We reviewed the published literature, regarding surgical management of metastatic disease in patients with gynecological cancer. Some prognostic factors in the patients with metastatic lesions from these three different cancers were found in common. Favorable prognostic factors for a prolonged survival were good performance status of the patients, long disease-free interval, absence of other systemic disease, and the resectability, preferably with a clear margin. These factors should be considered as the criteria for surgery. In well-selected patients, survival could be extended from the surgical procedure with minimal complications. Other types of treatment such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy could also be given in conjunction with surgery, depending on tumor type and disease status of the primary cancer, other systemic diseases, and residual metastatic lesions after surgery.

Pulmonary metastasectomy for uterine cervical cancer: a multivariate analysis

BACKGROUND

This study evaluated the results of resection of pulmonary metastases from cervical cancer.

METHODS

A total of 7,748 patients with primary stage Ib or II cervical cancer underwent curative initial treatment consisting of radical hysterectomy or radiotherapy in 22 hospitals. Of the 7,748 patients, 29 (0.37%) patients had pulmonary metastases, which were detected after a disease-free period after initial treatment (radical hysterectomy or radiotherapy) and were resected with the intention to cure by June 30, 1998.

RESULTS

The 5-year disease-free survival rate after pulmonary metastasectomy for all patients was 32.9%. Patients with one or two pulmonary metastases had a 5-year disease-free survival rate of 42.2% compared with 0% for patients with three or four metastases (p = 0.0003). Patients with squamous cell cancers had a 5-year disease-free survival rate of 47.4% compared with 0% for patients with adenosquamous cell cancers or adenocarcinoma (p = 0.0141). On multivariate analysis, the significant prognostic variables for disease-free survival were two or fewer metastases (p = 0.0232) and squamous cell cancer (p = 0.0168).

CONCLUSIONS

Cervical cancer patients with pulmonary metastases after initial treatment (radical hysterectomy or radiotherapy) could expect to achieve long-term disease-free survival by pulmonary metastasectomy when there are two or fewer metastases diagnosed as squamous cell cancer.

Pulmonary resection in metastatic uterine and cervical malignancies

OBJECTIVE

Although thoracotomy for removal of pulmonary metastasis is well documented in a wide variety of solid tumors, data are sparse regarding management of patients with gynecologic malignancies metastatic to the lung.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the Roswell Park Cancer Institute experience between 1982 and 1999. Of 82 eligible patients with gynecologic tumors metastatic and confined to the lung, 25 underwent pulmonary resection.

RESULTS

There were 60 uterine and 22 cervix cancer patients with pulmonary metastases. Among patients with uterine cancer primaries undergoing pulmonary resection (n = 19) median survival was 26 months. Uterine cancer patients who underwent surgical resection for leiomyosarcomas (n = 11) had a median survival of 25 months compared to 46 months in patients with adenocarcinoma (n = 6, P = 0.02). Median survival in cervix cancer patients undergoing resection for pulmonary metastases (n = 6) was 36 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Pulmonary resection may provide a survival advantage for selected patients with uterine and cervical malignancies with metastases isolated to the lung.

ROC analysis of detection of metastatic pulmonary nodules on digital chest radiographs with temporal subtraction

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

The authors' purpose was to evaluate the effect of temporal subtraction on digital chest radiographs in the detection of metastatic pulmonary nodules.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 21 cases with metastatic pulmonary nodule and 21 cases without metastatic nodule. Eleven radiologists, including eight residents and three certified radiologists, provided their confidence levels for the presence or absence of pulmonary nodules without and with temporal subtraction. Their performances without and with temporal subtraction were evaluated by means of receiver operating characteristic analysis with both independent and sequential tests.

RESULTS

For the independent test, the radiologists' Az (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) values were 0.871 without and 0.954 with temporal subtraction, compared with 0.882 and 0.955, respectively, for the sequential test. Diagnosis accuracy was significantly improved with the use of temporal subtraction. There was no significant difference in Az values between the independent and sequential tests.

CONCLUSION

Temporal subtraction is useful in the detection of metastatic pulmonary nodules, and this technique augments the value of digital chest radiography.

The surgical management of pulmonary metastasis: current concepts

Lung metastases have been found in 25-30% of all patients with cancer at autopsy. Those patients satisfying criteria for surgical resection represent a much smaller subgroup. Given the potentially curative nature of pulmonary metastasectomy in the absence of disseminated disease, it has become widely accepted as an important treatment option for a variety of malignancies with metastasis to the lungs. A standardized approach remains unfounded however, given limited numbers of patients, various histologic subtypes and few published studies utilizing randomized prospective methodology.Ultimately, the development of metastasis represents a major determinant of survival for patients with cancer. Pulmonary metastasectomy is an important treatment modality for patients with metastatic pulmonary disease. The indications for pulmonary metastasectomy and the surgeon's role in pulmonary metastatic disease continue to evolve. Future prospective studies and the compilation of comparable data yielding prognostic factors for specific histologies will better define indications for resection.