@mmcorpora, welcome. I'm so glad that your spouse's cancer was found at an early stage when the tumor is small and your have treatment options.

I moved your question about stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to this existing discussion:
- SBRT (radiation) for lung cancer: What's your experience?https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/sbrt/

I did this so you can connect with other members like @char09 @tumanic @vic83 @dave56pa and others who can share more about SBRT.

How was your partner's cancer discovered?

@mmcorpora Depends on location. Doctors should tell you which is better surgery or SBRT. If you have choice here is my experience
1) I had 2 VAT wedge resections (they did not take the lobe). The first was easy, I was driving my car a week later. And they can analyze it and hopefully get all of it. My second one had a complication (fractured rib) but I am still glad I did it
2) I then later had photon SBRT. It was painless and I just got up from the table and drove myself home. However, 8 weeks later I had radiation-induced pneumonitis and am now on oxygen. I have pulmonary fibrosis which means there is much higher risk in complications. Also radiation makes it very hard to see what is in the lung after.

@mmcorpora I had SBRT twice two years apart for three stage 1 tumors. I had side effects but the tumors have remained stable for ten years. A small number of us develop pneumonitis from the radiation and that happened to me both times. Also, I developed some heart problems that my cardio believes were related to SBRT. But I must be clear, both side effects were preferable to me rather than surgery.