Pulmonary resection for metastatic sarcoma.

Surgical resection plays an important role in the treatment of sarcoma that is metastatic to the lung. Multiple bilateral metastases are not contraindications to surgery. The rapidity of growth and the response to chemotherapy can be accurately determined by the tumor doubling time. Preoperative chemotherapy provides an in vivo measurement of tumor sensitivity, and the response to chemotherapy correlates with prognosis. Since residual microscopic pulmonary disease appears to be responsible for most failures after thoracotomy, attention should be directed toward delivering more effective adjuvant therapy to the lungs.