Surgical techniques for nonseminomatous germ cell tumors metastatic to the lung.

Overview

NSGCT is a curable disease, even when metastases are present at the time of diagnosis. Surgery serves as adjuvant therapy to initial treatment with chemotherapy but complete resection of residual postchemotherapy disease plays a critical part in offering patients a long-term cure. A variety of surgical techniques and approaches are appropriate for pulmonary metastasectomy in this patient population, which can be accomplished with excellent results when the extent of disease and the patient's preoperative medical condition are carefully considered.