Adenocarcinoma - newly diagnosed

Hi Nancy- I just wanted to let you know that I am 3 1/2 weeks post op after my LUL segmentectomy and a lingular wedge for adenocarcinoma. My surgeon used the Robotic assisted method. It is easier and faster to recover from. I also read a lot about these surgeries and scared the heck out of me. I thought I was going to be in horrible pain, in bed, etc. I was also afraid of the same thing, not being able to breathe. Neither case was true! They had me up walking the second day, still with chest tube in and catheter! Moving afterward is the key. If your not very mobile now, get moving if possible. Use an inspirometer, lung exerciser. My pulmonologist told me to double what I was walking to exercise my lungs and heart.
But, for a different choice, my Aunt who was 77 at the time, had the SBRT for hers, which was in the lower lung. She said it was so easy! 5 days at 30 minutes a day, and done. She is now 82, and all of her CT and PET scans have been clear since. What my surgeon told me was that if you can have surgery to get it out, you should do it. The reason being, if another one comes up later, you may not be able to have surgery at that time because of lung function or heart condition. Hopefully this will help you.
Best wishes, Cindy

Hi @mayocid1, Welcome to Mayo Connect! Getting this type of diagnosis is always such a shock, it's completely normal to need some help in processing the weight of the situation, and then they hit you with big decisions to be made! It is overwhelming.
Surgery and SBRT are both common options, and both can be effective. (SBRT Info: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/sbrt/pyc-20446794)
Personally, I haven't been presented with a decision like this yet. I'll likely face something similar in the future when my cancer returns, and I think I would certainly lean toward SBRT. I don't like the idea of sedation and recovering from a major surgery. I'm currently treated with a targeted therapy, and I'm now considered NED (no evidence of disease). I've seen the power of treatments other than surgery, so I'll be open to SBRT.
It sounds like you've had your share of surgeries, so you likely know what it's like to recover.
We all need to make our own decisions, and both sound like good options for you. How large is your primary tumor? When do you need to make a decision?

Nancy, I’m 78. Robotic surgery went very well. I have a few small - 1 inch or so - incisions in my side and one slightly bigger where the chest tube was. I had a segment of my right lung removed - not an entire lobe - and my breathing is fine. I am coughing, which I think is not unusual, and my
ribs in front are tender, but I’m doing well. I walked 5 miles one day last week - 3 weeks after surgery. I had a small nodule, so oncologist and thoracic surgeon agreed surgery was the best course. I start chemo next week. My Stage is 1b, so I was lucky. My best wishes to you.

It is 1.5 x 1.1 cm.
They wanted me to make a decision last week.
I’m still doing other tests they want and trying to set up a second opinion. My regular doctors told me I should do this. Not an easy assignment. The other hospital set me up with an appointment with a doc that doesn’t do lung cancer. I’m trying to go through an other area of the hospital and find a correct doctor.

Nancy, I’m 78. Robotic surgery went very well. I have a few small - 1 inch or so - incisions in my side and one slightly bigger where the chest tube was. I had a segment of my right lung removed - not an entire lobe - and my breathing is fine. I am coughing, which I think is not unusual, and my
ribs in front are tender, but I’m doing well. I walked 5 miles one day last week - 3 weeks after surgery. I had a small nodule, so oncologist and thoracic surgeon agreed surgery was the best course. I start chemo next week. My Stage is 1b, so I was lucky. My best wishes to you.

Franciekid! Great to hear everything is good for you! You and I must have had our surgeries about a week apart! I am curios like mayocid1, why are your Oncologist and Dr. having you go through Chemo if you had a small nodule and at stage 1? I asked my Surgeon about me needing chemo or anything and she said no because I was at a 1a and they don’t usually need to do chemo or that on stage 1a or 1b. Like I said, just wondering???

My stage is 1b but I have lymphovascular and pleural invasion, which means some cancer cells could not be removed with surgery. So although prognosis is excellent, the oncologist thinks chemo is warranted. I have EGFR mutation related cancer and will also be taking Tagrisso targeted therapy - one pill a day - for 3 years. She is expecting a cure.

As I understand, I am at 1b.
Yes, my surgeon uses the robotic method also.
You are a still cut open, your ribs are pried apart, lobe removed. Lung may deflate, etc.
I am afraid of trying to recover and being able to breath after the surgery. I have heard of some that didn’t go well.
Did your doctors recommend the SBRT radiation instead of surgery?
I’m 70.
Nancy

Thank you for the explanation! I am trying to understand all I can about all the different cases so if something new comes up with me, I might be able to have a better idea of what to expect. I wish you the best of luck and God Bless You!