Increased lymphangiogenesis in lung metastases from colorectal cancer is associated with early lymph node recurrence and decreased overall survival.

Pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) is an accepted treatment modality in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with pulmonary tumor spread. Positive intrathoracic lymph nodes at the time of PM are associated with a poor prognosis and 5-year survival rates of <20 %. Increased lymphangiogenesis in pulmonary metastases might represent an initial step for a subsequent lymphangiogenic spreading.

Stromal expression of heat-shock protein 27 is associated with worse clinical outcome in patients with colorectal cancer lung metastases.

Background: Pulmonary metastases are common in patients with primary colorectal cancer (CRC). Heat-shock protein 27 (Hsp27) is upregulated in activated fibroblasts during wound healing and systemically elevated in various diseases. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are also thought to play a role as prognostic and predictive markers in various malignancies including CRC.

Carbonic anhydrase IX is associated with early pulmonary spreading of primary colorectal carcinoma and tobacco smoking.

Objectives: Pulmonary metastasectomy is performed routinely in selected patients with metastatic spreading to the lungs. According to current guidelines, the tumour biology should be taken into account when selecting patients for a resection. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9) expression has been shown to be a common feature in primary tumour growth and metastasis and it negatively affects the clinical outcome in various malignancies.

EGFR, BRAF and KRAS status in patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy from primary colorectal carcinoma: a prospective follow-up study.

Background: Pulmonary metastasectomy is an integral part of the interdisciplinary treatment of patients with pulmonary metastases (PMs) from colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Although alterations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway are common in CRC, there is still insufficient data regarding PM. We hypothesized that EGFR expression and Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS)/BRAF mutations (Mts) might be associated with clinicopathological variables and the outcome in patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy.