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Upper left robotic/VAT lobectomy
I am 76 years old, have a 1.6 cm nodule on my left upper lung and am scheduled for a lobectomy in 3-4 weeks. It cannot be biopsied because it is inaccessible, but my surgeon is 85% sure it is malignant.
I will have a robotic/VAT lobectomy which my surgeon says should take 1-2 hours. He does this surgery 20 times a week. He doubts that my lymph glands are involved, but will check this during the surgery.
I am pretty fit and slim, work out in a gym 2-3 times a week, but more weights than cardio. I have never smoked a single cigarette my entire life. I would love to know realistically how soon I can expect to resume a normal life. I also have rheumatoid arthritis, but am symptom-free.
My surgeon says I will only stay in hospital 1 night and will feel very tired for several weeks and experience "discomfort" but not pain. I will lose 20% lung capacity, but still be able to work out and be active. Is this over-optimistic?
My surgeon also says I will not need any home care. However, I live alone, so wonder if I should get a nurses' aide for the first 1, 2 or more days and nights, as well as for the night in hospital.
Thank you in advance for any tips, advice and shared experiences.
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Hi @snorfish, Our oncologists make a determination about staging using the information that they have at the time, but there can be cancer cells that have escaped the initial site. Those cells aren't always detectable through scans or liquid/blood biopsies. Those grow and multiply and become a new site of cancer, a recurrence. You've had some great questions, and I'm sure you have a good list for your oncologist too. Do you feel prepared for your appointment?
Hi and thank you for the explanation. There is SO much I don't know. The American Cancer Society emailed me a list of questions to ask but I haven't read them yet. I'm just SO tired. I think it's more due to the stress of everything. I am 68 with no support system and I am right in the middle of selling my house and buying a condo in another part of the state so I was already stressing about that. Needless to say I have to put the buying on hold but keep going with the selling because I need to get off of this remote island if I need treatment for any length of time. I guess I'm going to try to find an Extended Stay Hotel.
Right now I'm just sitting here waiting for the doctor to call to find out where I want to be referred to? I have no idea. A pulmonologist out of the phone book? A local Cancer Institute that would maybe refer me to a Pulmonologist? So tired and lost right now.
@snorfish , Try to take a deep breath, and try to not get too far ahead of things. Right now, we know you have a suspicious nodule. I believe in reading your posts, we don't know for sure that it's cancerous. You'll likely need some follow up tests to determine what it is; likely a PET scan or a biopsy. That's what the pulmonologist is for. I have stage IV lung cancer, but I also have a 1 cm non-cancerous fungal nodule in my lung. It's not always cancer. I understand that you'll have some planning to do if this is cancer. It's not a bad idea to entertain those thoughts but try not to let them overwhelm the next step in this process. The diagnoses/investigation process doesn't happen overnight. It will take some time, likely a month or more.
I would ask the doctor's office if they have a recommendation on a pulmonologist. You'll want one that you have access to, physically and insurance. Because of your living situation, if they have telehealth for some visits, that would be helpful too. Are you working on compiling a list of questions for the doctors?