The approach of lung cancer
Written by:In the following article the Dr. Molins López-Rodó explains his way of approaching a lung cancer.
What is the difference between pneumonectomy, lobectomy and segmentectomy and in which case would one or the other be used?
The pneumonectomy is to remove the entire lung, the Lobectomy one of its lobes and the Segmentectomy is the removal of less than one lobe, what we call a lung segment. One or the other intervention is used depending on the size and location of the tumor to be removed. If it is central and large, pneumonectomy should be performed on many occasions, although surgical techniques (bronchoangioplasty) are available to try to avoid it. Lobectomy is the most frequent intervention when the tumor is located in one of the five pulmonary lobes and the segmentectomy is performed when the patient has little respiratory capacity and / or the tumor to be treated is less than 2cm in diameter.
What characteristics does a lung cancer N2 have?
N2 means that the tumor has passed into the surrounding lymph nodes, more specifically into the mediastinum, which is the drainage area of the lung (similar to axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer). In these cases, the prognosis is worse and treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy is initiated to later evaluate if it can benefit from a surgical treatment.
Can surgery be applied at this level of lung cancer?
This is one of the topics of my presentation, in which I expose the existing evidence regarding the benefit of surgery in these selected patients.
What complications do you have to resort to surgery at these levels?
Complications are not greater than those of surgery without lymph node involvement.
