[Surgical outcomes and prognostic factors after lung metastasectomy for pulmonary metastasis of colorectal cancer].

Surgical resection of resectable pulmonary metastasis from colorectal cancer(PM-CRC) has been widely performed and considered to be the primary treatment modality. We re- viewed the recent literatures on metastasectomy of PM-CRC and summarized the long-term survival data and prognostic factors after metastasectomy of PM-CRC. Although many prog- nostic factors have been reported, recent major studies and meta-analysis suggested that the following 4 indicators were promising prognostic factors: (1) number of metastasis, (2) disease-free interval, (3) preoperative serum carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA) level, and (4) hilar/mediastinal nodal status. Poor prognostic factors preoperatively proven cannot preclude surgical indication; however, they are useful in deciding operability especially for compromised patients. Prognostic factors are also useful for estimating survival provability of the patients and appropriate postoperative management.