In keyhole surgery (or minimally invasive surgery) which can be done in cases of very small, early, non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), the surgeon makes one or a number of small incisions on the side of the chest. A laparoscope — a thin long tube with a high-intensity light and a high-resolution camera at the front — shows the surgeon the inside of the chest. He then performs the cancer removal through the other incisions.

    Types of Surgery
  • Lobectomy (or the removal of one lobe)22

    The lungs are divided into sections called lobes. There are two lobes in the left lung and three in the right lung. Lobectomy means the removal of one lobe of the lung. The doctor will recommend a lobectomy if the cancer is contained within one lobe of the lung. Lobectomies are the most common surgery for lung cancer.

  • Bilobectomy (or the removal of two lobes)22

    This is a surgery to remove two lobes of the lung.

  • Pneumonectomy (the removal of a whole lung)22

    This surgery is necessary if the cancer is in the center of the lung and involves all three lobes in the right lung or both lobes in the left.

  • Segmentectomy or Wedge resection22

    A segmentectomy or wedge resection is the removal of a part of one of the lobes of the lung.

  • Pulmonary sleeve resection22

    This is a circumferential excision of a part of the bronchus and/or pulmonary vessels during lung parenchyma resection while preserving the uninvolved portions of the lung.

  • Lymphadenectomy (or removal of lymph nodes)20

    Regional lymph node dissection is done for histopathological examination to ascertain the spread of lung cancer to the surrounding lymph nodes. If the lymph nodes contain cancer cells, chemotherapy following surgery is usually recommended.

For more information on other treatment types, please click here.