Upper right lobectomy for stage 1 adeno 1.8 x 1.3 x 1.3 cm anyone?

I had my right middle and right lower lobe out July 27, 2023 and now feel back to normal. The worst part of the surgery is the chest tube that usually is removed after 2 days. If the surgery is done VATS it will take less time to recover. That’s 3 incisions instead of one big incision. I used a heating pad on my side and that worked well. I’d also suggest sleeping on a recliner. It was far more comfortable the first few weeks then trying to lay in bed. Where is your surgery at?

Aloha sistah 🙂 I live in Redding Ca and it is going to be "robot assisted" . he uses a unit called Davinci!

Radiofrequency ablation followed by 2 rounds of Immunotherapy will cure your lung cancer without surgery.

Hi @silvergirl29, Awesome!

I had an upper right lobectomy using the Davinci robot 5 years ago. I'm not even sure where the 4th small scar is anymore! I was out of the hospital within 3 days.

My surgeon gave me 30 days worth of Percocet, which was all I needed. Take it easy at first. I agree it was easier to sleep in the recliner for the first several nights, but that doesn't mean you'll need to.

My surgeon gave me exercises to restore my range of motion and reduce tightness after the surgery. In hindsight, don't rush into those exercises. I was 58 at the time and should have just rested for the first 3 weeks at least.

Mine was Stage 2 and was also supposed to be only surgery. But it was so low in the lobe, plus it had metastasized to a nearby lymph node, so I had chemo and radiation after all. I hope you're able to only have the surgery.

Best of luck and let us know what happens. Redding is a beautiful area!

Also, I had a cough after surgery that lasted about 4 months so don’t be surprised if that happens. It will eventually go away!

I didn’t get my chest tube removed until day 5 and either that was too early or they removed a stitch when they jerked it out because I had copious spurting drainage for 3-4 days. . I’d say don’t rush that removal.

When I insisted on a brief period of home health they sent an occupational therapist to put me on a resistance band exercises to help loosen muscles up. Get that after a couple of weeks… it helps.

But at the risk of nagging, if you are going to take advantage of a multi-disciplinary approach, you need input from an oncologist. You may be able to just zap the very small small lesions in the other lobes with radiation. In any event, surgeons cut. So they are likely to address things they can remove. I recommend you consider collecting all your options for what remains.

< nagging session ends>. 😁

I had non small cell adenocarcinoma diagnosed as 1B in March 2022. I interviewed both the surgeon and the radiologist with extensive and targeted questions to help me decide whether to choose surgery--upper right lobectomy or stereotactic radiation. On the surface, radiation looked like the easier route to me. They also had a high success rate. But one key question decided the course of action for me. When I learned that the surgeon could sample lymph nodes in the middle of a lobectomy, send them off to the pathology department for rapid analysis of the existence of cancer there, I asked the radiologist if radiology could see inside the lymph cells to detect the presence of cancer there. They could not. All they could do was target the existing tumor. Period. I asked myself, "Why would I do a major cancer radiation treatment and never know if there were lingering cancer cells in nearby tissue?" "Why would I want to live my life in doubt after that? I would not. So I chose surgery. Take that lobe out. Take the whole cancer out wrapped inside that lobe. I trusted that surgeon. The outcome was good and was verified with a second opinion from a prominent university medical doctor as well. What I have learned about radiation treatment since my surgery has further convinced me that what I did with surgery was the right thing. After radiation treatment, your cancer cells only begin to die within you. It takes months for all of them to die. You have dead and dying flesh within you. Further, you are much more subject to developing pneumonitis (pneumonia) after radiation treatment. I took four weeks to wean off pain pills--hydrocodone after surgery. I used a heat pad to comfort me--my back--and lessen the pain. Then I just switched over to 8-hour Tylenol. That worked well. You have to have a driving determination to get better, get stronger and keep building up your leg muscles and breathing apparatus. It's good to decide to become better than you ever were before. I was fortunate to be told about the possibility of Pulmonary Rehabilitation. That was not just breathing exercises. That was a special workshop in which participants got on recumbant bicycles and/or treadmills to gently build up strength and breathing capacity. I had 18 weeks of that. It was a major help. Nobody tells you that such a thing exists. They did teach breathing exercises and light weight (2-4 lbs) training plus resistance band exercises (maybe 10 minutes per session. This was all in conjunction with my hospital/surgeon's facility. But I wouldn't have found out about it unless I had asked. After that, I asked, "Where do I go from here?" The surgeon's kind nurse said I could choose to go to a gym. For me, being 76, I could choose a Silver Sneakers-type facility and let my Medicare supplement pay for that membership. I've been going twice a week ever since and also take 2-3-mile walks every single morning. We need to flood our lungs and body with oxygen. Cancer doesn't like that oxygen. Stay strong every day. Resolve to win the fight. So, ask those questions that are on your mind and follow your wisdom as well as listen to wisdom of others. Do not listen to the doubts of others. I hope there are clues in my response that help you.

@mrnootz, it is so encouraging to hear your story and that successful treatment has led to there no longer being any evidence of disease (NED). I know oncologists tend not to use the term cured, but I rejoice with you that you can shout that from the roof tops.

As you have stated in other posts, treatments for lung cancer will differ depending on stage. It will also differ based on additional factors such as type of lung cancer, genetic mutations, age and health status of the patient, etc. Thus it is important to keep in mind that everyone is different and it cannot be categorically proclaimed that treatment x will cure lung cancer.

This is also described in the Community Guidelines: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/tab/community-guidelines/

@mrnootz, have you completed treatment now? What is your followup schedule?

My surgery is next week. Nov. 21
It will be done robotically.
They will take my lower right lobe.
I am having it done at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, GA

Great hospital!!! I’m from GA and Emory is among the best. We will be sending warm healing thoughts your way! ❤️❤️❤️