Aggressive Pulmonary Resection for Metastatic Osteogenic and Soft Tissue Sarcomas

From July, 1974, to July, 1979, 36 patients with osteogenic sarcoma and 25 patients with soft tissue sarcoma underwent a total of 95 thoracotomies for resection of isolated pulmonary metastases. In only 6 patients could all palpable disease not be resected, although it was certain that microscopic disease remained in some patients. Twenty-six patients underwent more than 1 thoracotomy. The pulmonary lesions were found not to be metastases in 4 patients with osteogenic sarcoma and 4 with soft tissue sarcoma. The four-year survival for patients with nonsynchronous metastases from osteogenic sarcoma was 44%, not significantly different from a survival of 35% for patients with soft tissue sarcomas. The 6 patients with synchronous osteogenic sarcoma metastases all died within 16 months. Survival following thoracotomy did not correlate statistically with time from primary tumor resection to lung recurrence, unilateral versus bilateral disease, or number of nodules. For the 33 patients in whom tumor doubling time could be calculated, survival with either type of sarcoma was significantly better in patients with a tumor doubling time greater than 40 days versus a tumor doubling time less than or equal to 40 days. Any patient with metastatic osteogenic sarcoma or soft tissue sarcoma confined to the lungs should be considered for resection in conjunction with chemotherapy.