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Multicenter Study
. 2012;17(11):1430-8.
doi: 10.1634/theoncologist.2012-0142. Epub 2012 Sep 6.

The role of lung metastasis resection in improving outcome of colorectal cancer patients: results from a large retrospective study

Marco Tampellini  1 , Azzurra Ottone, Elisa Bellini, Irene Alabiso, Chiara Baratelli, Raffaella Bitossi, Maria P Brizzi, Anna Ferrero, Elisa Sperti, Francesco Leone, Stefania Miraglia, Laura Forti, Erica Bertona, Francesco Ardissone, Alfredo Berruti, Oscar Alabiso, Massimo Aglietta, Giorgio V Scagliotti
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

The role of lung metastasis resection in improving outcome of colorectal cancer patients: results from a large retrospective study

Marco Tampellini et al. Oncologist. 2012.

Abstract

Background: The role of surgery for lung metastases (LM) secondary to colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial. The bulk of evidence is derived from single surgical series, hampering any definitive conclusions. The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes of CRC patients with LM submitted to surgery with those who were not.

Patients and methods: Data from 409 patients with LM as the first evidence of advanced disease were extracted from a database of 1,411 patients. Patients were divided into three groups: G1, comprised of 155 patients with pulmonary and extrapulmonary metastases; G2, comprised of 104 patients with LM only and no surgery; G3, comprised of 50 patients with LM only and submitted to surgery.

Results: No difference in response rates emerged between G1 and G2. Median progression-free survival (PFS) times were: 10.3 months, 10.5 months, and 26.2 months for G1, G2, and G3, respectively. No difference in PFS times was observed between G1 and G2, whereas there was a statistically significant difference between G2 and G3. Median overall survival times were 24.2 months, 31.5 months, and 72.4 months, respectively. Survival times were longer in resected patients: 17 survived >5 years and three survived >10 years. In patients with LM only and no surgery, four survived for 5 years and none survived >10 years.

Conclusions: Even though patients with resectable LM are more likely to be those with a better outcome, our study provides evidence suggesting an active role of surgery in improving survival outcomes in this patient subset.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosures: Alfredo Berruti: Italfarmaco, Ipsen, Janssen (C/A); Novartis (H); Giorgio V. Scagliotti: Eli Lilly, Astrazeneca (C/A); Eli Lilly, Roche, Astrazeneca, Sanofiaventis, AVEO (H). The other authors indicated no financial relationships.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Consort diagram of the study. Abbreviations: CT, chemotherapy; IRCC, Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Kaplan–Meier curves of progression-free survival probability according to patient subgroup (see text). A statistically significant longer survival duration was evident only in patients with lung metastases submitted to surgery (group 3).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Kaplan–Meier curves of overall survival probability according to patient subgroup (see text). Differences were evident and validated among groups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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