Lung Resection

If a biopsy is positive for lung cancer, surgery may be required as part of a treatment plan. Resection of lung cancer may be used alone or in conjunction with radiation and chemotherapy. The decision to use surgery and/or chemotherapy is complex and depends primarily on the health of the patient, the type of cancer, and the location of the cancer in the lungs. This decision is best made through a discussion with your surgeon and other physicians.

There are different methods used to resect cancer. A surgeon may attempt to use thoracoscopy, a form of minimally invasive surgery that uses a camera and other tools to remove the cancer. Thoracoscopy, or VATS, is most often used when the tumor is easily visualized with the endoscope.

If the tumor cannot easily be visualized or is more extensive in depth, a thoracotomy may be used. In thoracotomy, the patient is placed under general anesthesia and a 6 to 10 inch incision is made between the ribs. The surgeon then removes the tumor, surrounding lung tissue, and lymph nodes. The tumor, tissue, and nodes will be sent to a pathologist to determine how far the tumor has spread.