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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
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NetWellness is a global, community service providing quality, unbiased health information from our partner university faculty. NetWellness is commercial-free and does not accept advertising.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
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Lung Cancer |
Non-small cell lung cancer12/15/2006 |
My dad was recently diagnosed with Stage 1 non-small cell lung cancer. I read online about two treatment options: a lobectomy and video-assisted thoracic surgery. Can you tell me the difference between these treatments? The internet was unclear to me. Thank you.
The standard operation for Stage 1 lung cancer is a lobectomy which is the removal of about 1/2 of one lung. The traditional way of doing a lobectomy is by making a 10 - 12 inch incision on the side and spreading the ribs. A video-assisted lobectomy is the same operation; however, it is done using several very small incisions without spreading this ribs.
The advantage of the video-assisted technique is less pain, shorter hospital stay and faster return to normal function. Not every patient is a candidate for the video-assisted lobectomy - it depends on where the cancer is located and on the patient's anatomy. Additionally, not all thoracic surgeons in the country have the expertise to perform the video-assisted technique. This is something that you should talk to your surgeon about.
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Sandra L Starnes, MD Assistant Professor of Surgery College of Medicine University of Cincinnati |
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