In this article, we’ll provide an overview of the condition, explaining the factors that cause it, and describing many of the symptoms that surface following the event. We’ll also take a look at how it is treated as well as what to expect afterward.

Two Types Of Stroke: Blockage And Bleeding

There are two kinds of stroke, though one of them can be broken down into categories. The first type is an ischemic stroke. This occurs when a blood vessel becomes blocked, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching a part of the brain. The cells of the brain die quickly unless blood flow is restored.

The second type is called a hemorrhagic stroke. Instead of becoming blocked, the blood vessel ruptures. The brain tissue becomes flooded, and blood flow to the area supplied by the ruptured vessel declines.

There are two types of ischemic stroke, both of which are classified based on how the blockage occurs. The event is considered embolic when the material causing the obstruction – typically, a blood clot – arrives in the vessel from elsewhere in the body. The event is thrombotic if the material forms at the site of the blockage.

Common Symptoms Of Stroke

Side effects are unpredictable because the brain controls so many motor and cognitive functions. That said, doctors can often determine which of the four lobes of the brain has been affected by observing the patient. This is because most functions are handled by precise areas within particular lobes.

For example, a stroke that occurs in the frontal lobe may cause paralysis, incontinence, and an inability to solve problems. If the occipital lobe is affected, the patient may experience problems with his or her vision. The temporal and parietal lobes likewise control specific functions.

Other common side effects include numbness, difficult speaking, and sudden confusion. Sometimes, these symptoms disappear shortly after the event. Other times, they last for years, and can even become permanent. The deciding factors are the extent of damage suffered by the brain tissue, and how much time passed before blood flow was restored.

How A Stroke Is Treated

Treatment options depend on the type of stroke. If a blood vessel has ruptured, and the patient has slipped into a coma, mechanical ventilation may be necessary to aid in breathing. If the hemorrhage causes pressure to increase in the brain, medications may be given to help reduce it. Surgery is then performed to repair the ruptured vessel.

If the blood vessel is blocked, anticoagulation and thrombolytic drugs may be given. The former prevents the formation of additional blood clots. The latter causes existing clots to dissolve. Unfortunately, while thrombolytic drugs are effective, they can cause profuse bleeding. In rare cases, surgery may be needed to remove a clot.

What To Expect After Treatment

After a stroke survivor has been treated, he or she will need to undergo rehabilitation. This is a process during which the patient regains lost functions, or learns to compensate for those that cannot be regained. Depending on the type of side effects that surface, rehabilitation may involve working with a physical therapist as well as speech and occupational therapists.

Most survivors require several weeks of rehab before they can function well enough to complete their daily routines. Without it, recovery is much more difficult.

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Knowing it’s so bad, why do so many people still do it? It’s because nicotine is very addictive. Nicotine is found naturally in tobacco, and it is just as addictive as hard drugs like cocaine and heroin. That means that even if you decide you want to quit, it can be really hard to do so because your body goes through some very unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, like irritability, jitters, headaches, and more.

Because smoking causes over 440,000 deaths every year in the United States, it is important to decide that the withdrawal is worth it, because you can live longer and be healthier. So, what are some ways to be successful at quitting smoking?

Pick a quit date and stick to it. Whether you decide to quit cold turkey or to taper off your smoking to nothing, it is important that you are in the right mindset to quit. If you are not, there is no way you will be successful. In some cases, people choose to go with a nicotine replacement therapy like the gum or the patch, so that they still get the nicotine they are addicted to, but they stop the smoking behavior first. Why should that matter? Because for many, the actual habit of smoking cigarettes is almost as addictive as the nicotine.

The idea behind nicotine replacement therapy is that you still ingest the nicotine when you would normally, but you do it without lighting up a cigarette. The immediate benefit of this is clear – you are no longer inhaling all those toxic chemicals that put you at risk for cancer and other diseases, and you smell better right away. The downside is that you are still addicted to nicotine, and the nicotine you’re getting is not nearly as satisfying as the cigarettes you’re trying to quit.

Another option is to go with a drug that helps control your reaction to cigarettes. The drug comes in pill form and it interferes with the part of the brain that enjoys the nicotine. That way, when you smoke, you don’t like it as much, and hopefully your brain will figure out that smoking is bad and that you don’t want to do it anymore.

If you are against taking pills, and find the nicotine replacement idea unsavory or cost-prohibitive, there is always the option of quitting cold turkey. It’s harder, and it takes a lot of will power, but many people have found success in changing their eating habits at the same time, and beginning an exercise regimen. The idea is to replace the bad habits with good habits, and the good habits will tell your body that you don’t want to poison it anymore.
Whichever method you choose, it’s important to quit smoking as soon as possible. The sooner you quit, the less likely are to suffer the long-term effects.

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Treatment for lung cancer is largely dependent on the location and size of the tumor (the patient’s ability to tolerate surgery is also a factor). If the disease is limited to a single lobe of the lung, a lobectomy can be performed. This is a procedure during which the affected lobe is surgically removed.

In this article, we’ll briefly present the tests used to determine staging for the disorder. We’ll also describe how video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS) is performed to remove the diseased lobe.

Tests To Determine Staging For Lung Cancer

Several studies are performed to diagnose lung cancer, and identify the extent of metastasis (the disease’s spread from its initial location). Following a physical examination, chest x-rays are taken. The images can display abnormal masses that might indicate tumors. Since X-rays are often normal, additional tests are usually necessary.

A CT scan can be used to generate 3-dimensional images of the lungs. While these images are rarely conclusive, they may reveal masses that warrant retrieval of a tissue sample. A PET scan serves the same purpose, but is particularly helpful in displaying tumors that are growing. If the doctor suspects NSCLC has metastasized to other areas of the body (e.g. liver, brain, etc.), CT scans are taken of these areas, as well.

Tissue samples can be retrieved via a bronchoscopy or needle biopsy. The former is performed when cancer cells are detected in the air passages. The latter is done when a tumor is detected in an area that lies beyond the reach of a bronchoscopy.

How VATS Lobectomy Is Performed

Traditionally, a lobectomy has been performed through thoracotomy. A single long incision is made into the patient’s chest. Several major muscles are cut, and the ribs are spread apart to provide the surgeon access to the diseased lobe. This approach is still practiced today when less-invasive measures are not possible.

A VATS lobectomy is an alternative approach that does not require cutting through major muscles. Nor does it require spreading the ribs. Instead, three or four smaller incisions are made, and the surgeon works through the ribs.

Several instruments, including a thoracoscope (small video camera), are inserted through the incisions. The thoracoscope sends a video feed to a monitor watched by the surgeon. The images provide the surgeon with visualization, so the diseased lobe can be cut away from the lung, and removed through one of the incisions. The rest of the chest cavity is checked for bleeding before the incisions are closed.

Advantages Of VATS Lobectomy Over Conventional Thoracic Surgery

Because VATS lobectomy is less invasive than thoracotomy, the patient experiences less pain following the procedure. There’s also less likelihood of infection and other complications. Less trauma to the chest wall also means the time spent in the hospital is reduced to a few days. At-home recovery time is likewise significantly shortened.

How Candidates Are Selected For The Procedure

Despite the benefits of video-assisted lobectomy, not all patients are considered suitable candidates for the procedure. Certain criteria must be met for the operation to be successful. The tumor must be localized to a single lobe, and have a diameter measuring no more than 3 centimeters. Ideally, it should also be located away from air passages and lymph nodes. If the tumor does not meet these requirements, the pulmonologist may suggest a traditional approach.

VATS lobectomy has become an increasingly popular alternative to thoracotomy. When performed by an experienced surgeon, the procedure is successful in removing cancer cells with a minimal chance of recurrence.

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In this article, we’ll present the three main forms of treatment, and explain when each is used. The following will clarify how doctors make their decisions regarding how to treat NSCLC in its various stages.

Surgical Removal Of The Tumor

This is the method of treatment doctors prefer to use. The problem is, surgery is only effective as a cure if the cancer cells have not left the lungs. Once the tumor has metastasized to other areas, surgery is no longer a curative option.

As a rule, NSCLC can be addressed surgically if it is in stage 1 or 2. Surgery may occasionally be used if the disease has progressed to stage 3A, but this depends largely on its location. Since most cases of lung cancer are caught during the disease’s later stages, less than 40 percent of diagnosed cases can be treated surgically.

There are three main types of surgery for NSCLC. A wedge resection can be done if the tumor is diagnosed early, and is still small and localized. During this procedure, the segment of lung tissue that contains the tumor is removed.

If the tumor occupies a larger portion of tissue, an entire lobe might be removed. This is called a lobectomy.

Sometimes, the tumor spreads throughout one of the patient’s lungs. When this is the case, a pneumonectomy – an operation during which the entire lung is removed – can be performed. Because of the invasive nature of this procedure and the subsequent loss of one lung, the patient must be in good health and have good lung function.

Killing Cancer Cells With Radiation

Radiation therapy is often given with surgery and chemotherapy. It may also be used only with chemotherapy if the patient declines to undergo surgery. During treatment, high-energy radiation is directed to specific sites that contain tumors. The energy kills cancer cells, prevents them from splitting, and reduces the size of the tumors. The downside is that treatment can also kill healthy cells, producing one or more side effects, including hair loss, fatigue, and shortness of breath.

Radiation therapy can be delivered from outside the body by positioning a special machine next to the patient, and pointing high-dosage radiation at the disease. Therapy can also be delivered internally through a process called brachytherapy.

Chemotherapy For Systemic Treatment

Chemotherapy is usually given to those suffering from small-cell lung cancer since the disease spreads quickly. It is often given for NSCLC, but is less effective. The chemicals have a similar effect to radiation therapy: they kill diseased cells and prevent them from splitting. Chemotherapy also poses the same drawback: healthy cells are affected along with cancer cells (though more slowly). This causes nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and fatigue. The drugs also make the patient more susceptible to infections.

While both radiotherapy and surgery are used to target localized tumors, chemotherapy is usually given as a systemic treatment. It is most effective in targeting diseased cells after a tumor has metastasized. That said, the chemicals may be used to kill residual cancer cells in a specific area following surgery.

It’s worth underscoring that chemotherapy is rarely given as a treatment to cure non-small cell lung cancer. Instead, it is typically used to reduce symptoms and extend the life of the patient.

Diagnosing NSCLC as early as possible increases the likelihood that the disease can be resolved with surgery alone. Once lung cancer spreads beyond the lymph nodes, other measures become necessary.

The right and left sides of the heart are separated by a wall of tissue called the septum. This wall prevents deoxygenated blood on the right side from mixing with oxygen-rich blood on the left. Some people are born with holes in the septum. This is categorized as a congenital defect. In this article, we’ll describe different types of holes in the heart, the symptoms they cause, and how they are treated.

Atrial Septal Defect (ASD)

This is a hole in the top half of the septum, the portion that separates the right and left atria. An atrial septal defect causes two concurrent problems. First, deoxygenated blood in the right atrium is allowed to pass to the left side without being replenished with oxygen. It is then pumped to the body where it fails to deliver needed oxygen to the organs and tissues.

Second, blood in the left atrium that has just received oxygen flows to the right side, and is pumped again to the lungs. This impairs the efficiency of the heart and pulmonary system.

ASDs can present in the top portion of the interatrial septum (called sinus venosus), the middle (secundum), or the bottom section (primum). Holes in the middle are the most common type of ASD.

Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

This is a hole that presents between the right and left ventricles. Here again, deoxygenated and oxygen-rich blood in the right and left sides of the heart (respectively) are allowed to mix.

Ventricular septal defects can appear near the valves of the heart; near the ventricular entry points; in the muscle-dense portion of the lower septum; or, the ventricular exit points. Some close on their own shortly after birth while others may remain open until they are surgically resolved.

Complications Associated With Holes In The Heart

Persistent atrial septal defects can cause a number of serious problems, though most complications only surface when the patient becomes an adult. Sometimes, blood clots may enter the right atrium. These are normally prevented from reaching the left side of the heart; they are often pumped to the lungs. With an ASD, clots can travel to the left atrium, and be pumped out of the heart. If they move into the arteries that deliver oxygenated blood to the brain, they can cause a stroke.

Another problem is that an ASD causes the right ventricle to work harder in order to pump blood to the lungs. Eventually, the chamber tires out from the effort, and loses its ability to pump blood effectively.

Ventricular septal defects can also cause the heart to falter. Recall that oxygen-rich blood in the left ventricle is pumped to the right side instead of being sent to the rest of the body. Because the body requires a continuous supply of oxygenated blood, the heart is forced to work harder. This can eventually lead to heart failure.

VSDs may also cause an arrhythmia. Irregular blood flow between the chambers may interrupt the electrical signals that cause the atria and ventricles to contract. Most arrhythmias are relatively harmless, but some of them (e.g. atrial fibrillation) can cause health problems.

How Septal Defects Are Treated

Most congenital septal defects are resolved during infancy or early childhood. Different approaches are used to address ASDs and VSDs.

In many cases, an ASD can be closed with a catheter. The catheter is introduced in the groin and directed through the vena cava to right atrium. The doctor positions it near the hole, and releases a device to create a patch. Then, the catheter is removed. Septal tissue grows over the patch, thereby plugging the ASD.

Upper and lower ASDs are sometimes surgically repaired. A surgeon will access the septal defect through the chest, and manually apply a patch.

VSDs often close on their own before a child reaches adulthood, and thus cause few problems. When they are large or cause noticeable signs, surgery is often performed to address them.

While holes in the heart can lead to serious health concerns, it’s important to emphasize that many resolve themselves over time. Consult your physician to determine whether treatment is warranted.

This article will provide an overview of the process leading up to your lung cancer surgery. Whether you’re planning to undergo a wedge resection, lobectomy, or pneumonectomy, knowing what lies ahead will relieve your anxiety, and help you prepare.

Tests To Monitor Your Condition And Health

The outcome of the procedure will depend largely on your health. The healthier you are, the better your body will able to tolerate the operation. Your physician will examine your medical history to look for preconditions or past complications that may make surgery impossible. These include postoperative clotting, problems tolerating anesthesia, and breathing issues following procedures in the past. Your doctor will also need to be informed regarding any medications you’re taking since they can increase the chances of bleeding.

A physical examination will be done as well as tests to monitor the strength of your body’s pulmonary system. If your pulmonary function is severely hampered, lung cancer surgery – especially in the case of a pneumonectomy – may not be an option.

Improving Your Chances For A Successful Recovery

If you’re currently a habitual smoker, your doctor will strongly suggest you quit. Doing so can improve your ability to heal properly following lung cancer surgery. You should also take the time to work with your doctor toward creating an exercise routine you can follow after the operation. A regular workout consisting of mild exercises will help your pulmonary and circulatory systems recover.

Lastly, plan in advance to have others help you with specific tasks after you are released from the hospital. For example, you’ll need someone to either prepare or bring meals to you; you’ll require help with vacuuming, dusting, yard work, and other chores; and you may need a friend or neighbor to check in on you daily just in case you experience complications stemming from your surgery.

Important Questions For Your Doctor

Prior to the operation, it’s important to clarify any details about which you have questions. For example, ask your doctor about the type of anesthesia you’ll receive. Ask about the possible side effects, and any changes you’ll need to make to your lifestyle due to impaired lung function. You’ll also want to ask the medications you’ll be given to take at home. Ask about potential signs that indicate there may be a problem during your recovery, and whom you should call if you notice them. Also, find out when you can expect to resume your normal activities, including returning to work.

Other Considerations Prior To Surgery

Even though minimally invasive lung cancer surgery poses fewer complications than open thoracotomy, they can still occur. It’s worth preparing in advance. For example, many people choose to donate their blood for use in the event they require a transfusion during the procedure. That way, they can avoid relying upon the hospital’s supply. This can be especially useful if you have a rare blood type (e.g. AB Rh negative).

You may also want to designate someone who can make medical decisions for you in the event you are unable to do so. The person you designate can decide which medical treatments you should – and should not – receive.

Nearly all minimally invasive lung cancer surgeries are performed without problems. If you’re planning to undergo such a procedure, however, it’s worth preparing ahead as much as possible.

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The operation has traditionally been done through invasive thoracotomy – that is, cutting through the chest to access the lungs. In recent years, surgeons have begun using a minimally-invasive approach known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS). Below, we’ll describe the differences between VATS and conventional thoracotomy. We’ll then take a look at how patients are chosen for the former. Lastly, we’ll explain what you can expect during recovery following a VATS lobectomy.

VATS Lobectomy Versus Invasive Thoracotomy

During thoracotomy, a surgeon makes a long incision into the middle of your chest. He or she must also cut through your sternum and spread your ribs in order to gain access to your lungs. In some cases, a portion of one or more ribs is removed.

Because this approach is highly invasive, the risk of complications is high. The operation may result in infection, respiratory failure, or pleural effusion. Moreover, there is typically significant pain during the postoperative recovery period.

In contrast, a VATS lobectomy is done with two to four small incisions into the sides of the chest, with each measuring less than an inch. A thoracoscope (i.e. instrument with a video camera) is inserted through one of the incisions. It sends images of the area back to a monitor that your surgeon uses to guide other surgical instruments. By studying the area displayed on the monitor, your surgeon can cut away and remove the affected lobe.

Note that the surgery is completed without cutting through the sternum and separating the ribs. Consequently, there are fewer complications and less pain during recovery.

Determining Candidacy For Minimally-Invasive Lung Cancer Surgery

Not all patients are suitable candidates for minimally invasive lung cancer surgery. As a general rule, those with small tumors near the outer edge of the lung make better candidates. Also, a VATS lobectomy is only possible if the disease can be detected while it is in its early stages. Once it spreads beyond the lungs (i.e. it metastasizes), other treatment measures become necessary.

As long as a medical center offers this approach to lung cancer surgery, it is considered for all patients. Your doctor – and an oncologist – will ultimately decide whether your condition makes you a suitable candidate.

Recovering From The Operation

With invasive thoracotomy, you can expect to stay in the hospital for up to ten days. That said, many patients are released as early as five or six days following surgery. With a VATS lobectomy, you may be released after two days, assuming your condition is stable. The recovery time following minimally invasive lung cancer surgery is much shorter than that required after undergoing traditional thoracotomy. Many patients are able to return to their normal activities within three to six weeks.

Reasons Few Surgeons Perform VATS Lobectomy

Not all medical centers offer minimally invasive lung surgery. While the approach has become more widespread over the last decade, many surgeons still lack the necessary skills and training. Relying upon images displayed on a video monitor to perform the removal of a lobe poses a steep learning curve.

If you have been diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer, ask your physician whether a VATS lobectomy represents a viable treatment option. If it does, check whether your doctor’s facility can perform the operation. You’ll benefit from a faster recovery, less postoperative pain, and a lower risk of complications during the procedure.

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A person who smokes more than one pack of cigarettes per day has a risk of developing lung cancer 20-25 times greater than someone who has never smoked.

Once a person quits smoking, his or her risk for lung cancer gradually decreases. About 15 years after quitting, the risk for lung cancer decreases to the level of someone who never smoked. Cigar and pipe smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, but not as much as smoking cigarettes.
Other causes of lung cancer include the following:

Passive smoking presents another risk for lung cancer. An estimated 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year in the U.S. that are attributable to passive smoking.

Air pollution from motor vehicles, factories, and other sources probably increase the risk for lung cancer, and many experts believe that prolonged exposure to polluted air is similar to prolonged exposure to passive smoking in terms of risk for developing lung cancer.

Asbestos exposure increases the risk of lung cancer by nine times. A combination of asbestos exposure and cigarette smoking raises the risk to as much as 50 times.

Lung diseases, such as tuberculosis (TB) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also create a risk for lung cancer. A person with COPD has a four to six times greater risk of lung cancer even when the effect of cigarette smoking is excluded.

Radon exposure poses another risk. Radon is a by-product of naturally occurring radium, which is a product of uranium. Radon is present in indoor and outdoor air.

The risk for lung cancer increases with significant long-term exposure to radon, although no one knows the exact risk. An estimated 12% of lung cancer deaths are attributable to radon gas, or 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer-related deaths annually in the U.S. Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. As with asbestos exposure, smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer with radon exposure.

Certain occupations where exposure to arsenic, chromium, nickel, aromatic hydrocarbons, and ethers occurs may increase the risk of lung cancer.

Lung Cancer Survival Rates

Several factors influence lung cancer survival rates. The type of cancer, the stage it is at when diagnosed, and the overall condition of the patient all play a role in determining survival. Cancer survival is usually expressed in terms of a five-year survival rate, which is the percentage of patients with cancer who survive at least five years after their cancer is diagnosed.

Studies have shown that five-year survival rates among non-small cell lung cancer patients vary by stage. Stage 0 patients have the best survival, of close to 50% at five years. Approximately one-quarter of stage II patients survive to five years, as compared to 8% of stage III patients and only 2% of stage IV patients. In general, small cell lung cancer tends to proceed more rapidly to terminal disease. Ten to fifteen percent of patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer, and between one and two percent of those with extensive-stage cancer, survive to five years.

Estimates of cancer survival do not reflect current treatment advances that may lead to better chances of survival, because they are typically calculated for a five-year period that does not include the previous year. Further, each patient responds to treatment in a unique way; aggregate estimates do not account for individual factors that may improve or worsen the likelihood of survival.

The overall number of deaths in the United States from lung cancer rose throughout the 1980s, and began to drop for men in the 1990s. However, a similar decrease has not been observed among women. Over fifty thousand current and former smokers have been enrolled in the National Lung Screening Trial to find out if chest x-rays and CT scans taken before the onset of lung cancer symptoms may improve early diagnosis and therefore survival.

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A gene controls a cell and informs it as to what to do. This will include growing and reproducing and usually the cells follow the order. Sometimes instructions become confused and cells start growing and multiplying where they shouldn’t. These groups of cells can form into tumors or lumps and may spread through the bloodstream and lymphatic system (this is known as known as metastases).

The lumps or tumors fall into two categories; benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). The difference being that benign tumor cells remain in one place and are not usually a concern.
Malignant tumor cells invade nearby tissues and spread to other parts of the body.
A swollen lymph node often provides the first sign that a malignant tumour has spread (metastasized). Quite often this occurs when a cancerous tumor is close by but cancer may metastasize to practically any part of the body and hence it is important that these type of tumors are found quickly.

The name of a particular cancer is basically defined by the part of the body where they grow. As an example a growth in the lung that spreads to the bladder is known as lung cancer with bladder metastases.

In lung cancer the cells of the lung are first involved.

The two main types of lung cancer are:

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This is the most common type of lung cancer. It growth is slower than small cell lung cancer. Approximately 80% of lung cancers diagnosed are this type.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC). This type invades quickly and will spread to other parts of the body.

NSCLC are groups of different cells and there are three types

Squamous cell carcinoma, this is often found in the central part of the lung.

Adenocarcinoma,this generally occurs in the outer part of the lung.

Large cell carcinoma, this can occur almost anywhere in the lung.
Although people with adenocarcinoma have a more favorable outlook, any non-small cell cancers can increase in size quickly and the prognosis can therefore be poor.

Treatment differs for each type of cancer as they do behave very differently. The treatment will depend on the staging of the disease.

Advanced stages of NSCLC may be treated by removal of the affected lung tissue to remove all or part of the tumour. While it may be possible to completely remove the tumor, this may not always be possible.

Chemotherapy and radiation treatment is common and administered after an operation or where the tumor is small enough for surgery not to be necessary. The patients general state of health also plays a part as treatments can be debilitating.

Chemotherapy and radiation are the only real options for those with SCLC and the results generally don’t provide remission but they are successful at extending the patient’s life.

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CT Scan
PET Scan
Bronchoscopy
Needle biopsy
Surgical biopsy

Once a diagnosis of lung cancer has been established, your doctor will need to assess the stage of the disease. Staging is the process by which the cancer is assessed and categorized; this is essential for determining an effective treatment regime which will depend on a number of detailed factors. Factors include the size of the tumor, location, whether it is primary (originated in the lungs) or metastasized (spread to the lungs from another tumor elsewhere in the body), whether it has spread to the lymph nodes and many other factors.

Staging is frequently referred to as TNM – Tumor, Lymph Nodes, Metastasized.

Treatment regimes will be determined by the type of lung cancer a patient has acquired. Metastasized cancer is treated differently from primary cancer – in the latter case, the tumor originates in the lung and can be treated by surgery in the early stages backed up by chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Metastasized cancer cannot be so easily treated by surgery unless the cancer is non-aggressive and the tumor of relatively small size.

Your doctor will probably recommend minimally invasive surgery for early stage, primary lung cancer and this has distinct advantages in both treatment outcome and for the patient. Minimally invasive techniques do not involve opening the thoracic cavity (the chest) and is not major surgery with the attendant risks that carries. It is usual for a patient to be up and walking within a couple of hours of the procedure and to be home within a day or two of being admitted to hospital. Chemotherapy or radiation treatment may be used to follow up the removal (known as a resection) of the cancerous lung tissue.

Traditional open surgery may be used where the cancer is located in an inaccessible portion of the lungs or is at a stage where minimally invasive techniques are not appropriate. This requires an incision in the side of the chest (the flank) and the spreading of the ribs to gain access to the area where the tumor is located. This involves additional pain and discomfort for the patient and a longer stay in hospital with a longer recovery period, which is why minimally invasive techniques are often preferred. Again, the operation will frequently be followed up by additional chemotherapy or radiation treatment where necessary.

Where the disease has reached a stage at which it is incurable, palliative surgery may be undertaken to help the patient’s quality of life, such as the removal of the tumor which has become of a size where airways are being obstructed.

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