Cancer, specifically lung cancer, continues to be a leading cause of death in the United States and throughout the world. Riverview Cardiac Surgery provides state-of-the-art surgical removal treatment to patients with lung cancer, mesothelioma, sarcoma as well as cancer that has mestastasized to the chest. We work with your oncology team to ensure you receive the proper and best treatment available to meet your needs.
Plainly put, primary lung cancer is growth of abnormal cancer cells that begins in the lungs. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Cancers from other parts of the body may spread to the lungs as well, and this is called metastasis
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One of the reasons lung cancer is so deadly is it rarely shows symptoms in the early stages of the disease. When it becomes more advanced, lung cancer may show the following signs and symptoms:
If you are experiencing signs or symptoms that worry you, make an immediate appointment with your doctor.
The majority of lung cancer is caused by smoking. This applies to smokers themselves and people exposed to secondhand smoke.
When you inhale cigarette smoke, carcinogens damage the cells that line your lungs. Over time, the damage becomes irrecoverable and cells begin to act abnormally, allowing cancer to develop.
In addition to smoking and second-hand smoke, the following are the most common causes of lung cancer:
If there is reason to believe you may have lung cancer, your doctor may order a series of tests to rule out the disease or arrive at a firm diagnosis. Your doctor may recommend:
Lung cancer is divided into two major categories based on the appearance of the cancer cells. Your treatment plan will be largely based on what type of cancer your doctor diagnoses you with.
Stage I: Cancer is limited to the lungs
Stage II: Cancerous tumor has grown larger than 2 inches in diameter and may have spread to lymph nodes
Stage III: The tumor may have grown very large and invaded other organs
Stage IV: Cancer has spread beyond the affected lung to the other lung or to distant areas of the body
Working in close communication with top oncologists, Riverview Cardiac Surgery uses state-of-the-art technology to remove cancerous tissue located in and around your lungs, heart and chest area.
Prior to surgery, your doctor will likely recommend:
Depending on the location of your cancer, severity and your general health, you may be a candidate for a minimally-invasive video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) procedure. If available, this option allows for less post-op pain and rapid recovery time. In addition to surgery, your oncologist will probably recommend other methods of treatment that will be administered to ensure a successful recovery.
Treatment for lung cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer. Typically, treatment includes at least one of the following, but usually involves a combination of treatment alternatives:
Stage I: Surgical removal of cancerous tissue, sometimes used with chemotherapy and radiation
Stage II: Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapies
Stage III: Combined chemotherapy and radiation, experimental medicine
Stage IV: Chemotherapy, clinical trials, experimental medicine, supportive care
Common Surgical Procedures
Riverview Cardiac Surgery commonly performs the following surgeries to remove lung cancer:
Many of these procedures can be carried out using minimally invasive thoracic surgery techniques, such as videothoracoscopy.
Because cancer can be such an unpredictable condition, recovery times will vary greatly from patient to patient depending on:
In addition, other cancer treatments like radiation and chemotherapy tend to be particularly hard on the body so if you have, or are currently undergoing these treatments at the time of surgery, it may hinder recovery time.
