According to experts in Thoracic Surgery, the earlier lung cancer is diagnosed, the better the prognosis. The problem is that its symptoms appear when it is already advanced.
The problem with the diagnosis of lung cancer is that its symptoms appear when it is already advanced. Some of them are pain or coughing up blood. For this reason, only 15% of patients survive more than 5 years from diagnosis, while with surgery performed in the initial stages, up to 85% or even 90% of patients do so. Even so, it can never be assured that the cancer will not reappear, so it is advisable to have periodic check-ups.
Lung cancer surgery
Lung cancer surgery consists of removing part of the affected lung. Depending on the characteristics of the cancer, part or all of the organ is removed. Depending on the operation to be performed, there will be certain risks or others. These also depend on the patient’s condition and age, and on his or her respiratory and cardiac function. Lobectomy (resection of a lobe of the lung), for example, is the most common technique and has a mortality rate of 2%.
Lung cancer postoperative period
The postoperative period for lung cancer depends on the type of operation performed and whether there were any complications during the operation. With the previous example of lobectomy, admission is normally 3 to 4 days, and after 3 or 4 weeks normal life can be resumed.
In the case of surgery by videothoracoscopy, which is less painful, recovery in the first days is faster.