Treatment of Lung Cancer

Advances in early diagnosis and treatment options help to ensure more positive outcomes for patients diagnosed with lung cancer.

 

At Mercy, specially trained physicians use advanced surgical techniques to treat cancer and other diseases of the lung and esophagus, including:

 

Thoracotomy (lobectomy, bilobectomy, pneumonectomy)  |  In this surgery, the doctor makes a 6-8 cm incision on one side of the chest (thorax) and spreads the ribs apart. All or part of the lung is removed depending on the location, size and type of lung cancer that is present.

 

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS)  |  This new procedure allows the doctor to insert a small camera and surgical tools through 1-2 cm openings in the chest to easily biopsy or resect areas of the lung. A smaller incision means less postoperative pain, fewer days in the hospital and quicker healing.