Recent improvement of survival prognosis after pulmonary metastasectomy and advanced chemotherapy for patients with colorectal cancer

New chemotherapeutic regimens (i.e. FOLFOX or FOLFIRI with molecular targeted drugs) have improved the prognosis of patients with unresectable or recurrent colorectal cancer. To estimate the prognostic impact of these chemotherapies, we examined the chronological change in survival rates of patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer metastasis. METHODS: Using a large database, we conducted a retrospective, multi-institutional study to collect data of 1223 eligible patients from 26 institutions who had undergone pulmonary metastasectomy with curative intent. We divided those patients who underwent metastasectomy in different time periods according to the major trend of chemotherapy regimens for recurrent colorectal cancer: those who underwent metastasectomy between 1990 and 1999 (N = 451, Group A), between 2000 and 2004 (N = 433, Group B) or between 2005 and 2007 (N= 339, Group C). RESULTS: Five-year overall survival rates after metastasectomy were 45% in Group A, 56% in Group B and 66% in Group C (P < 0.0001) whereas rates after metastasectomy plus chemotherapy were 32% in Group A, 47% in Group B and 70% in Group C (P = 0.0059). The prognosis of patients who underwent both metastasectomy and chemotherapy in Group C was significantly better than that of the other two groups. Overall survival of patients who did not receive chemotherapy was not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION: Survival rates of patients after pulmonary metastasectomy for colorectal cancer metastasis who underwent chemotherapy have increased over the years. It implies that newer chemotherapy regimens might have had a positive impact on these patients.