Lung Cancer Survival Stories
In practice, it is usual for all three treatments to be combined but how effective each treatment and the order or combination in which it is applied will depend on the stage of the cancer.
Where surgery is indicated, a patient will be either operated on using minimally invasive surgery, traditional open surgery or palliative surgery.
Minimally Invasive Surgery
Minimally invasive surgery is indicated when the tumor is relatively small, located in an accessible portion of the lung and is primary in nature. Primary cancer is a tumor which originates from the location it is found in as opposed to having spread there from another part of the lung or body.
In minimally invasive surgery, two small incisions (between 2 to 4 cms) are made; in the upper incision a camera is inserted which is connected to a high definition television screen and which the surgeon looks at to guide the insertion of surgical instruments using the lower incision. For this reason, minimally invasive surgery is referred to as Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery or VATS.
Minimally invasive surgery provides far less possibility of complications compared to full, open surgery. Pain is substantially reduced because the ribs do not need to be spread and this also aids recovery; most patients are up and about after a couple of hours and released home from hospital after a day or two. The procedure offers a comparatively high success rate.
Traditional Open Surgery
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Traditional open surgery involves the opening of the chest cavity to provide access to the tumor and lungs. An incision is made in the flank (side of the chest) through which the surgeon will use specialized instruments to spread the ribs and expose the lung, providing access to the affected area. This form of surgery carries with it a higher risk of complications for the patient, and because of the rib spreading, the patient will experience some pain and an extended recovery period necessitating additional time in hospital.
Traditional open surgery may be needed because the lung cancer is located in an inaccessible part of the lung or the patient’s own anatomy militates against using minimally invasive surgical techniques.
Palliative Surgery
Where lung cancer has reached the stage of being incurable, surgery may nevertheless be conducted to improve the quality of life and comfort of the patient. For instance, if the tumor impedes airways, surgery to remove the cancer will relieve the obstruction though it will not cure the patient. Palliative surgery may be minimally invasive or traditional open surgery and will depend on the circumstances and strength of the patient to undergo the operation concerned.
Pre- and Post-Operative Treatment
Chemotherapy and radiation treatment may be used both before and after surgery. Pre-operative use of non-surgical treatment may be indicated where the cancer has reached a late stage but by reducing a tumor in size or the incidence of tumors, an early stage may be reached which renders surgery a viable option. Post-operative chemotherapy and radiation treatment are also frequently applied in order to ensure any cancer cells are killed off in the event the surgery did not remove them completely.
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