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Is Lobectomy Recommended For Early Lung Cancer?
Posted on
Tue, 22 Sep 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Tue, 22 Sep 2015
Answered on
Sat, 10 Oct 2015
Last reviewed on
Question : Dr XXXX,
You answered my question earlier about the lesion they found in my wife lung. Thank you We have meet with the surgeon and they found nothing else on the PET scan. She is scheduled for surgery on the 30th of this month and it looks like they are going to do a lobectomy of the upper lobe of her right lung. It looked to me like the lesion was fairly deep in the lobe. As you looked at the mri form the bottom of the lung going up it starts out small and the gets larger as you move further up. I guess my question is this, is surgery the only option? The doctor we meet with said it was. Then the next question if it is cancer, and the doctor feels like it is, and it has not spread into her lymph nodes. What is the chance of it coming back? 50/50?
You answered my question earlier about the lesion they found in my wife lung. Thank you We have meet with the surgeon and they found nothing else on the PET scan. She is scheduled for surgery on the 30th of this month and it looks like they are going to do a lobectomy of the upper lobe of her right lung. It looked to me like the lesion was fairly deep in the lobe. As you looked at the mri form the bottom of the lung going up it starts out small and the gets larger as you move further up. I guess my question is this, is surgery the only option? The doctor we meet with said it was. Then the next question if it is cancer, and the doctor feels like it is, and it has not spread into her lymph nodes. What is the chance of it coming back? 50/50?
Brief Answer:
Yes, lobectomy is treatment of choice for early lung cancer.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
If PET scan is suggestive of isolated lung lesion and no involvement of lymphnodes than it is early lung cancer.
And treatment of choice for early lung cancer is lobectomy (surgical removal of part of lung).
So better to get done lobectomy for better prognosis.
Usual life expectancy after surgery is 10-15 years.
There is no exact percentage of recurrence but recurrence rate is more than 50% over 10 years of time.
Hope I have solved your query.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wishing good healthhealth to your wife . Thanks.
Yes, lobectomy is treatment of choice for early lung cancer.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for your question on Health Care Magic.
I can understand your concern.
If PET scan is suggestive of isolated lung lesion and no involvement of lymphnodes than it is early lung cancer.
And treatment of choice for early lung cancer is lobectomy (surgical removal of part of lung).
So better to get done lobectomy for better prognosis.
Usual life expectancy after surgery is 10-15 years.
There is no exact percentage of recurrence but recurrence rate is more than 50% over 10 years of time.
Hope I have solved your query.
I will be happy to help you further.
Wishing good healthhealth to your wife . Thanks.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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