Pulmonary metastasectomy

BACKGROUND: The major obstacle in curing cancer is the limited ability to prevent and treat metastatic disease. Pulmonary metastasectomy is now a standard treatment option in carefully selected cases. With the lung being frequently the only site of metastasis, a complete resection of all tumor masses poses a potentially curative treatment option. METHODS: This review article gives an outline of the basics of pulmonary metastasectomy and reviews the latest research in this field. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Technical advances in thoracic surgery during the past decades made pulmonary metastasectomy a safe procedure with a low morbidity. However, surgical resection must be embedded in an individualized oncological concept.