Lung Cancer Surgery

Depending on the patient’s type, location, and stage of lung cancer, lung surgery may be an option. To cure lung cancer with surgery, the tumor must be removed along with some surrounding lung tissue, as well as lymph nodes in the region of the tumor. In cases where the lung cancer is localized and unlikely to have spread, removing the tumor is considered the best option. This includes early-stage non-small cell lung cancers and carcinoid tumors. Lung cancer surgery can involve removing a portion of the lung or the entire lung. 

Types of Lung Cancer Surgery

For those with lung cancer, surgery is a common treatment. Based on the size of your tumor, your surgeon will determine your surgery type. Lung cancer surgeries vary in the amount of lung tissue doctors remove and the parts of the lung they target. Your doctor may recommend chemotherapy or radiation therapy before surgery to shrink the tumor so it is easier to remove. Chemotherapy or radiation therapy is also common after lung cancer surgery. The main types of surgery to remove lung cancer are:

• Wedge resection: This type of surgery is mostly used to treat the smallest tumors, unlikely to spread. During which only the smallest possible part of the lobe is removed.

• Segmentectomy: During which 1 or more segments of a lobe will be removed, preserving half or more of that lobe.

• Lobectomy: An entire lobe will be removed to remove the cancer. This type of surgery is minimally invasive and techniques called video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) or robotic-assisted surgery are used.

• Sleeve lobectomy: In this type of surgery, the airway and sometimes the main artery in the lung are taken apart, so they can get the tumor out. Then the lobe, artery, and airway are reconnected. This allows the surgeon to preserve lung tissue to optimize postoperative lung function. 

• Pneumonectomy: Due to the location of a lung tumor, it may be impossible to remove the entire tumor with lobectomy. In that case, doctors perform a pneumonectomy, removing the entire lung on the side of the tumor. Those undergoing this surgery may be left with some shortness of breath. Your surgeon will help you manage this side effect with medicine or breathing exercises. 

What type of lung surgery do I need?

The type of lung surgery you need for lung cancer depends on the size of the cancer, position in the lung, type of cancer (small cell or non-small cell), and whether it has spread.

How Is Lung Cancer Surgery Performed?

Depending on the location, size, and stage of the lung tumor, one of the following approaches are used to remove portions of the lung:

• Thoracotomy: An incision is made on the side of the chest following the curve of your ribs. This approach involves dividing some of the muscles of the chest wall. Using an instrument, the two ribs are gently speared to provide access to the lung. The muscles are repaired when the incision is closed.

• Video-assisted thoracic surgery: This minimally invasive surgery is used to remove cancer without opening the chest. It is used to remove lobes or sections of the lungs. A long tube with an attached camera is inserted into the chest using a small surgical incision.

• Robotic-assisted surgery: Another minimally invasive procedure used to remove cancerous cells. The surgical team inserts a tiny video camera into a small incision, and surgical instruments attached to a robotic hand are used during the procedure. Your surgeon guides the robotic hand from the control unit.

Lung cancer surgery risks

As a serious surgery, lung cancer surgery can take weeks or months to recover depending on the procedure. Risks of lung cancer surgery include:

• Allergic reaction to anesthesia

• Bleeding

• Blood clots

• Infection

• Pneumonia

Another possible long-term complication is shortness of breath with certain activities. Possible complications during and soon after surgery can include reactions to anesthesia, excess bleeding, blood clots in the legs or lungs, wound infections, and pneumonia. Rarely, some people may not survive the surgery.

Conclusion

Lung cancer surgery is a critical and often effective treatment for patients whose cancer is confined to the lungs and who have good lung function. The type of surgery, which can range from a wedge resection to a pneumonectomy, depends on the location, size, and stage of the tumor. While traditional open surgery may be necessary, minimally invasive options like thoracoscopic surgery or robotic surgery are increasingly being used, offering patients less physical damage and quicker recovery times. However, it’s important to remember that each type of lung cancer treatment has potential side effects, and patients should discuss these thoroughly with their healthcare team. As treatments continue to improve, more people are surviving lung cancer than ever before, underscoring the importance of early detection and appropriate treatment strategies.

Read more:

• why would you need lung surgery?