Pulmonary metastasectomy in uterine malignancy: outcomes and prognostic factors

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate outcomes in uterine cancer patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy and prognostic factors associated with survival after the procedure. METHODS A retrospective study was performed in 29 uterine cancer patients who underwent surgical resection of pulmonary metastatic lesions at Samsung Medical Center between June 1995 and December 2011. RESULTS Histopathology showed carcinoma in 17 patients (58.6%) and sarcoma in 12 patients (41.4%). Of the 29 patients, 17 (58.6%) had less than three pulmonary metastatic lesions. Eight (27.6%) had symptoms related to lung metastasis. The 5-year survival rate after pulmonary metastasectomy for the entire cohort was 48.2%. On univariate and multivariate analysis, the presence of pulmonary symptoms and more than three lesions of metastasis were associated with poor survival after pulmonary metastasectomy. CONCLUSION Pulmonary metastasectomy for uterine cancer is an acceptable treatment in selected patients. Patients with more than three pulmonary metastatic lesions and pulmonary symptoms related to lung metastasis could expect to have worse prognosis after pulmonary metastasectomy.