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Home > Medical Reference > Patient EducationServices at Maryland GeneralA complete list of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services at MGH.Non-small cell lung cancer - Surgical Procedures
DescriptionAn in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Alternative NamesLung cancer - non-small cell; NSCLC Surgical Procedures:Surgery is performed in the following circumstances:
Unfortunately, lung surgery may be too risky for patients with other lung diseases or serious medical conditions, and because lung cancers tend to occur in smokers over 50, such health problems are likely to be present. Long-term survival rates appear to be better in patients treated at hospitals that perform large numbers of lung cancer surgeries, and when surgeries are performed by thoracic surgeons, who specialize in chest procedures. Standard Surgical ProceduresThe type of surgery a patient needs depends on the amount of lung or other tissue that needs to be removed. Wedge Resection or Segmentectomy. Wedge resection and segmentectomy remove only a small part of the lung. They preserve almost normal breathing function after the operation. Lobectomy. Removal of one of the lobes of the lung is called lobectomy. The patient must have enough lung function to undergo this procedure. The patient has a 3 - 5% risk of death after this operation, with older patients having the highest risk.  Pulmonary lobectomy - series Click the icon to see an illustrated series detailing surgery to remove diseased lobes of the lung. Pneumonectomy. Pneumonectomy removes the entire lung. The patient has a 5 - 8% risk of death after this procedure. The oldest patients have the greatest risk, and they almost always have a recurrence. Other ProceduresSurgical advances are allowing a wider range of options, including minimal surgeries for early cancers and surgeries that relieve cancer symptoms in the late stages of the disease. Thoracoscopy. Thoracoscopy, also known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), is a less-invasive technique that uses a thin tube containing a miniature camera and surgical instruments. It involves much smaller incisions than open surgery and speeds recovery to the point that patients are up within hours. Though the procedure is not appropriate in all cases, it offers significant advantages, especially in older or frail patients. The death and complication rates following VATS are lower than those after conventional surgeries. Pain is reduced, and patients are released from the hospital quicker. Several studies found that the 5-year survival and recurrence rates in patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer treated with VATS were comparable to those in patients treated with traditional open chest surgeries. Laser Surgery. Laser surgery allows surgeons to remove small amounts of lung tissue, and it is proving useful for improving symptoms in stage II and IIIA patients. Laser surgery may also be beneficial in treating cancers that have spread to, and are obstructing, the throat. Photodynamic Therapy. Photodynamic therapy uses bronchoscopy and special laser light beams combined with a light-sensitive drug, called porfimer sodium (Photofrin), to kill cancer cells. The most common side effect is sun sensitivity. Bleeding in the lungs is a more serious side effect. Photodynamic therapy may be considered for patients in early-stage disease who are not candidates for other surgical procedures. It may also be used to reduce symptoms in late-stage disease. Cryosurgery. Cryosurgery uses a probe chilled to below freezing to destroy the tumor cells on contact. It is being investigated in combination with radiation therapy. It may also be an alternative in early stage cancer for patients who cannot have surgery. Electric Cauterization and Thermal Ablation. Electric cauterization, which uses electricity to produce heat that destroys tissue, is also under investigation as a treatment for early-stage disease. Radiofrequency Ablation. This non-surgical technique that uses an x-ray guided electrode to deliver heat to tissues may benefit lung cancer patients who are not eligible for surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. In one study, 70% of patients treated with this method survived for at least one year. Because the technique spares damage to nearby tissues, patients tend to have minimal side effects. More research is needed to confirm the benefit of radiofrequency ablation over other, non-surgical treatment options. Resources
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