Stump recurrence after pulmonary metastasectomy from colorectal cancer]

Pulmonary metastasectomy with wedge resection is an ideal procedure in terms of less invasiveness and preservation of respiratory function, while local recurrence is a major problem. The goal of this study was to verify risk factors of stump recurrence after pulmonary metastasectomy from colorectal cancer. Pulmonary metastasectomies including 112 operations for 131 lesions in 85 patients with colorectal cancer were performed in our department since March, 2005 until the end of 2010. In our cases, stump recurrence significantly occurred in patients who underwent wedge resection than segmentectomy or lobectomy. Stump recurrence developed in 14 operations among 62 wedge resections (recurrence rate: 23%). Diameter more than 10 mm and distance between pleura and deepest end of the tumor (depth value) more than 14 mm were risk factors as stump recurrence. Tumor diameter and depth value can be a decisional factor for wedge resection in pulmonary metastasectomy in the colorectal cancer patients.