Lung Cancer Surgery

Surgery is a lung cancer treatment that fit to remove the tumor when in early stage (1 or 2). It involves the surgical excision of cancer tissue from the lung. The result of lung surgery often remarkable, however, it not suitable to treat lung cancer late stage that have spread (metastasis). Surgery is mainly use for non-small cell lung cancer treatment.

Lung surgery is not suitable for all patients, such as those who have bad health before surgery. Just like what mention it above, lung surgery is very limit to early stage of lung cancer, the location of tumor and the cell type. Furthermore, the survival rate would be low for patients who have less pulmonary reserve.*


There various type of lung cancer surgery:

• Lobectomy
  One of your lung will be removed. If both of them removed it called bilobectomy.
• Segmentectomy
  Unlike lobectomy that remove all part/s of the lung, segmentectomy only remove a particular lobe of the lung.
• Pneumonectomy
  This lung surgery will remove the entire lung.
• Wedge resection
  Removal a part of lobe.
• Sleeve/bronchoplastic resectionIt remove an associated tubular section of the associated main bronchial passage during lobectomy with subsequent reconstruction of the bronchial passage.
• VATS lobectomy
  Unlike lobectomy, VATS lobectomy is less invasive that may allow for less pain, quicker return to full activity, shorter hospital stay and also less hospital costs.

In patients with adequate respiratory reserve, lobectomy is the preferred option, as this minimizes the chance of local recurrence. If the patient does not have enough functional lungs for this, wedge resection may be performed. Radioactive iodine brachytherapy at the margins of wedge excision may reduce recurrence to that of lobectomy.

*Pulmonary reserve is measured by spirometry.
If there is no evidence of undue shortness of breath or diffuse parenchymal lung disease, and the FEV1 more than 2 liters or 80% from what the doctor predicted, the patient is suitable for pneumonectomy. If the FEV1 more than 1.5 liters, the patient is suitable for lobectomy.

Main Article - Lung Cancer Treatment