Lung Cancer Surgery

Lung cancer surgery involves removing a tumor from your lung, and often part or all of your lung. Here's what you should know about surgery for lung cancer.

Surgery is a common treatment for lung cancer that has not spread to other parts of your body. Surgery may depend on the size and location of your tumor and whether it has spread to nearby organs.

Non-small cell lung cancer that is stage 0 to IIIA can often be treated with surgery (usually along with other forms of treatment). Non-small cell lung cancer that is stage IIIB or stage IV cancer is not usually treated with surgery.

Surgery is less likely to be an option for you if you have small cell lung cancer, unless it is a very early-stage cancer.

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Not everyone is a good candidate for surgery. Some types of tumors can’t be removed. If you have heart disease or lung disease, you will need tests to be approved for surgery. You must be healthy enough to have surgery.

The parts of your lung that will remain after surgery must be strong enough to keep your breathing.

You'll meet with your surgeon before surgery to talk about the procedure. It is important to bring up your concerns. Do not hide anything about your medical history. Your surgeon will want to know about any medications you are taking and will review your medical records with you.

It helps to understand the risks, side effects, and timeline of lung cancer surgery. Most people want to know when they’ll be able to return to their normal activities. You may want to know if the surgery will leave scars, as well as where they will be and what they will look like.

You may want to know what kind of surgery you are about to undergo.

Three common types are:

• Open thoracotomy surgery
• Open sternotomy surgery
• Keyhole surgery

Thoracotomy

In this surgery, your surgeon makes a cut that runs around the side of your chest. Sometimes the cut may be only a few centimeters long. But it can run from under your nipple around to your back, under your shoulder blade.

Sternotomy

During a sternotomy, your surgeon makes a cut through the length of your breastbone (sternum). This provides access to both the left and right sides of your chest.

Keyhole surgery

Keyhole surgery can remove very small, early, non-small cell lung cancers. The medical name for this operation is video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (or VATS). 

The surgeon makes up to three small cuts on the side of your chest and uses a long, flexible tube called a thoracoscope to look inside with a tiny camera. The camera shows the inside of your chest on a video screen.

The surgeon puts the surgical instruments into the other cuts to remove the cancer.

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