Lung Cancer Surgery Options

of lung cancer can be treated with various therapies that are often used in combination to provide the optimum outcome for the patient. Surgical resection is the process by which the tumor is surgically removed, it is usually recommended when the cancer has not metastasized (or spread) beyond the lungs to other parts of the body.

There are several options for performing resection, which may include minimally invasive surgery, or full operation. What techniques are used will depend on various factors, particularly the size and stage of cancer and whether the tumor can be accessed by a surgeon.

thoracotomy the surgeon performs an incision through the chest wall and median sternotomy performed by entering the chest through the breastbone. Both of these methods are usually employed in lung cancer surgery, but they do not involve significant patient discomfort and extended hospital stays with more periods of recovery.

Alternative surgical procedures include anterior limited thoracotomy (ALT), which involves a small incision to allow entry, again through the front of the chest. It should be noted that the incision is much smaller than a standard thoracotomy or median sternotomija.Alternativa the anterior axillary thoracotomy (AAT), which involves a small incision on the chest front, but in the armpits and in the end, there is a postero-lateral thoracotomy (PLT) , which involves an incision on the back or side of the patient's trunk.

Even with better surgical techniques, the patient will experience considerable pain, if the operation involves opening the chest (sometimes known among doctors as "cracking the chest ").

As a result of extended recovery time and patient discomfort, surgical techniques have been developed that do not involve full-blown operation -. These are the so-called minimally-invasive techniques

Video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT) uses high-powered video cameras and hi-definition screen in combination with diagnostic scans such as CT or PET scans, to target tumors in the lung bolesnika.Rez should be much smaller and no need to open the chest, resulting in less discomfort for patients and greatly reduced the recovery period. Using the video display, the surgeon can resect tumors that were identified during the diagnosis and staging phases.

Some doctors caution the use of VAT, however, as the traditional thoracotomy can detect tumors and other cancers that metastasized were discovered in the initial scan and diagnosis. If you remain undetected cancer can return and the patient will become sick again and for that reason, the VAT is usually recommended for early stage (I and II), cancer, and not spread to other parts of the lungs and body.

It is normal for any surgical procedure to be followed by a phase of chemotherapy or radiation to ensure that the patient's cancer is completely removed or killed. Since treatment of income and in which phase the recommended treatment is determined by the type and stage of lung cancer the patient has.