• Yin-Kai Chao, Hao-Cheng Chang, Yi-Cheng Wu, Yun-hen Liu, Ming-Ju Hsieh, Jy-Ming Chiang, and Hui-Ping Liu.
• Division of Thoracic Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
• Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2012 Sep 1;60(6):398-404.

ObjectivesThe benefits of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for performing pulmonary metastasectomy are considered controversial. This case-matched study aimed to compare long-term outcomes after surgical resection of pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer using different approaches (VATS vs. thoracotomy).MethodsBetween 1997 and 2008, 143 patients with colorectal cancer who had received their first pulmonary metastasectomy were selected. Fifty-three patients underwent a surgical procedure that utilized a thoracotomy approach (Group 1), and 90 patients underwent a surgical procedure that used a VATS-based approach (Group 2). After being matched for tumor number, diameter (measured by computed tomography), and surgical procedure (wedge resection or lobectomy), 35 pairs of patients were finally enrolled. Study endpoints included tumor recurrence and survival.ResultsThere was no hospital mortality in both groups. Within the mean follow-up period of 50 months, 47.1% patients developed a recurrence (52% at the pulmonary level and 48% at systemic level), and 52.9% of the patients were alive at the time of analysis. There was no difference between Groups 1 and 2 in terms of overall recurrences (54 vs. 40%, p = 0.23), all pulmonary recurrences (25.7 vs. 22.9%, p = 0.78), and same side lung recurrences (14.3 vs. 20%, p = 0.75). The 5-year overall survival (OS) after lung resection was 43 and 51% in Groups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.21).ConclusionsOur case-matched study showed that survival outcome of pulmonary metastasectomy using VATS is not inferior to that of open thoracotomy in selected cases.Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

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