Surgical approach to the lung metastasis of childhood tumors
R Özcan*, A Karagöz*, E Gökdemir**, P Kendigelen***, T Celkan****, İ Adaletli*****, OF Şenyüz*, G Topuzlu Tekant*
* Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Department of Pediatric Surgery
**İstanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty
*** Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty Department of Anesthesiology
****Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Haemotology and Oncology
*****Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Radiology
Aim: To evaluate the surgical
approach regarding the lung metastasis of childhood tumors.Cases and method: Cases with
tumor metastasİs that underwent surgical intervention between years 1978-2016
were investigated retrospectively. The determinants were age, gender, primary
diagnosis, date of lung metastasİs occurance, surgical treatment method,
pathological diagnosis and follow-up.Results: Of the 18 cases which were
operated due to lung metastasİs 11 were female, 7 were male. Median age was 8,1
years (range 1,5-14 years). The primary tumors were; Wilm’s tumor (n:9),
Ewing sarcoma (n:3), osteosarcoma (n:2), hepatoblastoma (n:1), fibrosarcoma
(n:1), rhabdomyosarcoma(n:1) and endodermal sinus tumor (n:1). Lung
metastasis were present at the initial diagnosis in 4 patients. Among the
others, the average time for the occurance of metastasİs was 16,5 months (
range 7 mo-4yr). In all cases CT imaging was performed,
findings were compatible with lung metastasis. In 4 patients Pet Scan was
performed and showed positive uptake. Surgical approach was right thoracotomy for 9
patients, left thoracotomy for 7 and bilateral thoracotomy for 2 patients.
Surgical procedures that were performed were; wedge resection in 16 patients,
lobectomy in 1 patient and lobectomy with costal bone resection in another.
Re-thoracotomies were performed in 3 cases with recurrent lung metastasis (2
Wilm’s tm and 1 hepatoblastoma).Pathological diagnosis was negative for tumor
metastasis in 3 patients who had CT imaging indicative of the disease, with one
of them aslo showing uptake on PET scans.Average time of chest tube removal was 5,2
days (range 3-8 ) while average lenght of hospital stay was 7,3 days (range
5-10 days). During follow-up, 6 cases resulted in mortatily.Conclusion: In patients
with childhood tumors, lung metastasis can be encountered at the initial
diagosis and/or during follow-up. From the surgical point of view, limited resection is considered to be
adequate. Although radiological imaging supports tumor metastasis, definitive
diagnosis should be made via pathological evaluation.
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