  This work discusses reliability, possible obstacles and the future
perspective of chiral extrapolation of lattice results. In the first part,
chiral perturbation theory fits to lattice calculations of the nucleon mass are
thoroughly explored in terms of statistical uncertainty and convergence.
Lattice volume dependence is exploited as a source of additional fit
constraints. In discussing consistency with pion-nucleon scattering, the role
of the Delta(1232) excitation is clarified. In the second part of the work,
pion and kaon mass lattice data are analyzed using three-flavor chiral
perturbation theory. SU(3)-SU(2) matching conditions permit to examine
deviations from the Gell-Mann, Oakes, Renner relation. Introductory chapters
provide a quick start guide to manifestly covariant baryon chiral perturbation
theory, basic understanding of lattice QCD and a self-contained explanation of
the relevant statistical methods.
