Lung Cancer Treatment: Surgery

Surgery for Lung Cancer

The dedicated team of doctors at CTCA can help you determine if surgery is an appropriate lung cancer treatment for you. The goal of surgery for lung cancer is to remove the tumor, and is usually used in conjunction with other treatments, such as chemotherapy and/or radiation.

There are four basic types of lung cancer surgery offered at CTCA: lobectomy, pneumonectomy, wedge resection and thoracoscopic resection. Surgery is the most common treatment for non-small cell lung cancers that have not spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body. Small cell lung cancers are typically treated with chemotherapy and radiation instead of surgery.

In a lobectomy, part of the lung called a lobe is removed. There are two lobes that make up the left lung and three that comprise the right lung. Your surgeon will also remove some lymph nodes to test for evidence of cancer.

A pneumonectomy involves the complete surgical removal of the entire cancerous lung.

A wedge resection is the removal of a small section, or wedge, of the lung. This lung cancer treatment limits the amount of lung tissue removed during surgery, preserving valuable lung capacity for people with limited lung function.

With a thoracoscopic resection, the tumor and a layer of healthy lung tissue surrounding the tumor are removed. In this procedure, your surgical oncologist will make three tiny incisions on the chest, back and under the arm, through which a tiny camera called a thorascope is inserted. The thorascope allows your surgeon to view the chest cavity and the affected area of the lung. This lung cancer treatment may help avoid a large chest incision.

To help you after lung cancer surgery, our team of cancer specialists and practitioners will work with you to build a personalized support plan that includes complementary and alternative therapies to help support you through your lung cancer treatment.

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Lung Cancer Center