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Post-Lobectomy Pleura build up - does it ever resolve on its own?
Hi, everyone. I had a Left upper lobectomy on 8/16. Just over a month ago. This was a pretty fast-moving surgery since the lung nodule was incidentally found during a routine Breast MRI. It was about 15mm and Spiculated. Anyway, turns out it's cancer, Stage IIb, spread to some lymph nodes (and this is just anecdotal info, but I recently learned that it's the ROS1 mutation which is apparently quite rare). Anyway, a recent PET scan mentioned things like 'trapped lung,' pleura..and my oncologist said that some fluid lit up on the PET as well as some mediastinal nodes. So there's possibly a biopsy in my future here soon for that. I won't know until mid-week next week. Anyway, I am able to breathe pretty well, my pulse oxygen is consistently between 97-99% (I have a pulse oximeter at home), and I take a daily brisk 30 minute walk every single day. Has anyone ever had pleura fluid buildup after a lobectomy and it just...went away on its own? Or do people usually need to have it drained? I know mine may have to be checked out for cancer, but the oncologist DID say another possibility for it lighting up on the PET could be inflammation because it's in the same area as the surgery was performed. Thanks in advance for any info or experience you can share!
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My tumor in 2000 was 10-12 cm and involved two lobes, but the nearby nodes tested negative and no signs of any spread outside my right lung. No one ever gave me a stage since it was kind of a unique case but if you read the staging descriptions probably it was Stage 2B or 3 because of the size. Two years ago I had a new spot show up in my left lung. It was the same kind of lung cancer. Again, no nodal involvement so that was stage 1A. Now we watch a new spot on what remains of my right lung. It is about 1 cm and growing ever so slowly. I am almost 70. Hoping I can co-exist with it for the rest of my life as my lung function would decrease even more if they treat it. Lung Cancer is a sucky diagnosis. Being short of breath is constant reminder of the reality of the situation. But still I go on because there is no other option.
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2 ReactionsThese comments are from a CT scan about 9 Months after my surgery, continued to see comments about the fluid for a year or more. it never got serious enough to treat it and cleared on its own.
Lungs and Pleura: Postsurgical changes of left upper lobectomy are again present. Small loculated pleural fluid is
identified
anteriorly with some stable mild pleural thickening and calcification similar to previous examination. Consolidation is
identified within the right apex which could represent scarring. Bilateral pleural calcified plaques are again identified.
Some
mild groundglass is identified within the right middle lobe new from previous examination. A couple stable subcentimeter
left
lower lobe nodules are present (image 20, 58; series 2). No pneumothorax is identified.
I as well as many members could come up with some unprintable adjective than "sucky" I'm 85, I started nebulizing albuterol and 7% saline earlier this year, I did it in the am & pm. for 5 months and got so depressed I've had to pause. It was for mucus plugging; now I have bacteria which showed up in a sputum culture and a new doctor prescribed a new medication to nebulize and said its terrible and may require 6 months of treatments. I have a problem with spending the few years I have left sucking nasty vapors. I could just sit back and watch music videos on UTube, the oldies that bring back memories of my youth. I don't drink or use recreational drugs; the last time I was in a church I was 17 and an Alter boy, so my options are limited. At your age I was in the gym 6 days a week, got really heathy and made a lot of friends.
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3 ReactionsHello, I’m new here and very worried. I had a VATS left upper lobectomy on 12/9/2025 stage 2B EFGR mutation grade 3. I went to ER for a UTI and they told me on my CT scan I have a large pleural effusion. I still have cough and sometimes difficult to even talk, it’s more throat irritation. I’m having a thoracentesis Monday and I’m very scared of what the fluid might be and the chances of having cancer cells in it. This has been difficult for me as I feel lost. I’m 49 yr old mother non smoker. Any advice
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1 Reaction@amareese, Everything that you are feeling is justified. This is a hard diagnosis to process, life changing. At the time of my diagnosis, I struggled to talk too. As I healed and the tumor size reduced, it did go away. Have you received the results of the thoracentesis?
I still have pleura build up that comes and goes, and my lobectomy surgery for stage 4 LC was 2 yrs ago. I have not had it drained but just try to tolerate the discomfort. I haven't yet figured out a cause for it coming and going.
@iris1, that is interesting (and good) that the build up resolves itself. How long does it usually last? Has your team suggested draining?
It is a mystery why it seems to come and go. It has been bad lately. Yes the team said I could try to have it drained, but it is not so bad that I want to go through that. And I figure what's to keep it from coming right back.
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1 ReactionResearching for my nephew who has inoperable tumor close to artery is receiving chemo,radiation and immunotherapy also has pleural infusions any added information out there would be helpful
Welcome @cassueriose, I'm sorry to hear about your nephew. There are certainly cases where surgery isn't done for many reasons and the other treatments are successful. He's fortunate to have others like you, that care so much, as part of his family.
Is his tumor a lung cancer? Is he being treated at a cancer center that the family trusts? Have they tried to treat the pleural effusion at all?