Operations were carried out on 94 patients with pulmonary metastases at the Cologna University Clinic from 01.01.1980 to 31.12.1991. The prevailing primary tumors which metastasized to the lungs were sarcomas (24.5%, 23 cases), carcinoma of the kidneys (22.3%, 21 cases), malignant melanomas (19.1%, 18 cases), carcinoma of the large intestine (15.9%, 15 cases), and carcinoma of the testes and ovaries (10.6%, 10 cases). Metastasis to the lung from an esophageal tumor was encountered in one case, from the contralateral lung in one case, from a malignant thymoma in one case, and from carcinoma of the larynx in one case. Metastases of carcinoma of the mouth floor were encountered in 3 cases. The metastases were removed by atypical wedge resection in 71 cases, by lobectomy in 22 cases, and by segmental resection in one case. Postoperative mortality was 1.1%. Average survival for all groups of patients was as follows: one year 60%, 3 years 40%, 5 years 38.3%.