Pneumonectomy

Pasada 1 month ago

1 reply
43 subscribers
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Dear MacMillan Nurses,

I have just finished my second cycle of chemotherapy for Stage 3a squamous cell lung cancer and have been told it would be possible to avert surgery to remove my left lung. I had a kidney transplant in 2016 and take immunosuppressants. I saw the surgeon who explained the pros and cons of the treatment and my oncologist has said I would have between 20 - 30% of a complete cure as the cancer is likely to return.
I have tried to find more information and people who have had this type of surgery, including on your lung cancer forum, but still feel under informed and unsure about the surgery particularly in regard to my long term health. As for the surgery itself the surgeon said there is a 10-15% risk of complications.

I wonder if you could help.

With very kind regards,

Kim

Anne - Macmillan 1 month ago

Hi Kim,

Thank you for getting in touch. My name is Anne, and I am one of the nurses on the Support Line. Welcome to the online community. I see you have joined a few of our forums already. I hope you have found them welcoming and supportive.

I’m sorry to read of your diagnosis of stage 3 lung cancer and appreciate this must be a worrying time for you. Making treatment decisions can be challenging so it’s important you have as much information as is required in order to make the right decision for you.

Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation have a really useful booklet My Lung Surgery which you may wish to read through. Perhaps you could also join HealthUnlocked and chat to others there who are in a similar situation. Sometimes chatting to others who have been through a similar experience can be helpful.

Understanding more about the surgery and what to expect afterwards is important. Perhaps it may help to arrange another chat with your surgeon, or another member of your team, to go through any more questions you may have. Jot down any queries or worries ahead of the appointment, as it will help you get the most out of the meeting. If you have someone who can attend with you, this can be really useful as sometimes these meetings can be overwhelming, and we can forget what was said.

You should have been allocated your own clinical nurse specialist (CNS). They work very closely with your consultant and are there to provide you with information and support. They have access to your medical records and can be a fantastic source of support. It may help to have a chat with them about your concerns. If you are unsure how to get in touch with them, you can call your consultant’s secretary and ask for their contact details.

Coping with uncertainty can be challenging. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of my colleagues of you’d like to talk things over.

Take care for now,

Anne - Cancer Information Nurse Specialist

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.

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Pneumonectomy