Surgery versus radiotherapy

Hi. It’s an awful decision to have to make Sanguiness. Youve obviously looked into the different success rates etc and talked to your consultant so I wouldn’t want to comment either way.

I just thought I would chip in with my own experience of having a lobectomy.

I had mine (upper right lobe) two months ago. It was Vats. Not sure if that is what you are being offered? Yes it is frightening going into it but I recovered really quickly. Sitting up in a chair the first evening and out of hospital in four days. I was sore on the right side of my chest for about two weeks. Only three small scars and lung reinflated almost immediately. Walking the dog in no time. 

Worst side effect for me was that op caused arrhythmia. Quite common apparently. I’d had no heart or blood pressure problems of any kind before. I am still on tablets now, although the hope is I will not be on them forever. 

It was sold to me that if you are healthy enough to undergo surgery then that’s absolutely the best way to go. Get the blooming thing out before it spreads. Hopefully others on here who went the radiotherapy route can give a an answer on that. 

Has there been any suggestion that you might need to go on to have chemotherapy after the lobectomy? My docs thought I wouldn’t need it but scans can’t show everything and tumour turned out to be bigger than they thought and running into pleura. So now having chemo. Worth asking them. 

whatever you decide I wish you lots of luck. 

My mom aged 84 had a lobectomy in Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham.  She encountered no pain and was walking round the ward the next day.  I personally saved her from the awful effects  of chemotherapy and radiotherapy I saw other people suffering at the oncology clinic we attended.  I know it’s a terrible decision to have to make but my mom also had Vats procedure, she also had complications due to other problems but she recovered very very quickly albeit she was 84 years of age.  

Thank you very much for your reply.  Having weighed up the pros and cons, complications around the surgery and the side effects, I have decided to refuse it.  My cancer is described as a "nodule" and after a PET scan where you are injected with a radioactive tracer, it was found to be smaller than originally thought, albeit by 6mm, it is 25mm but was originally thought to be 31mm.

As mentioned in my earlier post, my hospital has a fantastic cancer unit which serves the whole of Wales, they have, since 2012, have the LINAC radiotherapy service, which is targeted radiotherapy that leaves surrounding tissue untouched, hence less side effects.  Also in my earlier post, I said I know what radiotherapy is all about, having had it for breast cancer, but in those days (32 year's ago) the LINAC machines didn't exist, so I just had the usual external beam radiotherapy.  My side effects were fatigue, only slight nausea, and skin that felt like severe sunburn.  Long term side effects were bone pain and fibrotic tissue in the right lung.  The worst side effects I had was from the surgery itself, unable to use my right arm for two months, pain and neuropathic pain because of damaged nerves and muscle, not the radiotherapy.

Cancer Research say patients should be given treatment options, which I wasn't given.  My first clinic appointment after the first CT scan was with another consultant on the same team, he suggested as the nodule is early stage I may not need surgery, just radiotherapy instead.  So this is what I will be discussing at my next visit.  If I was told that the only option is surgery obviously I would do it, but I was told two different options by two different consultants.  

Anyway, best wishes in your recovery, and I will be posting again after I have put my decision to the team and see what they say.

Thanks for your reply, good to hear your mum recovered well.  Please see my reply to Baytree123.

I was given a choice. Surgery SABR or watch and wait 

I chose Bristol Royal Infirmary which has a top oncology unit. My surgical team bowel and my thoracic team are in the same building so my care and the communication has been second to none. My bowel surgeon referred me to Lung after my first CT which showed two cancers 

I imagine that you would be referred to my hospital however communication between Wales and England isn’t always the best. My Niece has just moved to Wales to be near her daughter and she has MS

She has no support sadly she’s slipped through the net. So it’s not always easy for communication to happen between different trusts let alone hospitals 

Having said all of that my treatment has been life saving and professional. I class myself very fortunate 

I had a lobectomy and segment in March and I’m doing well. Apart from Covid my recohas been steady 

Good luck with you treatment 

Thanks for your reply. The hospital where my Thoracic Cancer Team is Glan Clwyd, only 15 mins from my home. The hospital for the lobectomy is Broadgreen Heart & Chest Hospital in Liverpool. It's a wonderful hospital and, through some weird irony, I used to live opposite the hospital before I moved to North Wales five year's ago.

Sorry to hear about your neice's daughter slipping through the net, and I understand regarding communication between England and Wales.

I have to admit, the NHS in Wales seem a lot slower than England in getting things done. When I had breast cancer I was living in England and from seeing my GP to being on the operating table took just four weeks. I'm now seven weeks in with this lung cancer diagnosis and was told it will be another four weeks before treatment starts. I had a PET scan cancelled because of technical issues and a clinic appointment cancelled because of it. I had to travel to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, which is 42 miles away for a PET scan because there are only three PET scans across the whole of Wales and they are mobile ones set up in a portacabin in the car park.

I'm going to settle for the targeted radiotherapy I think. Good luck and very best wishes. By the way, my name is Ann as well xx

Hello Ann it’s nice to meet another

Ann without an E. 

Best of wishes with your treatment x

Hi Sanguinesse

i thought I’d tell you of my experience. I had a number of tiny cut glass nodules in my left lung that I was told would be monitored on scans. However I have 2 larger nodules in my right lung.  Was passed fit for surgery but radiotherapy was offered too. The surgeon told me I could lose the whole of my right lung under surgery which freaked me out. I opted for the radiotherapy which worked I’m delighted to say. I was torn about the right way forward but so far so good. Just had my 2nd 6 month scan and it’s still looking good. Good luck whatever you decide to do. 

Denise x 

Thanks for your reply, and great news for you that your treatment has worked. I have refused surgery and have opted for targeted radiotherapy, i'm just waiting on an appointment with the oncoligist to begin my treatment. 

I had an hour long phone chat with my cancer nurse this morning, she is lovely and very supportive. She told me that, although surgery is the "gold standard" in curative treatment, the targeted radiotherapy is just as effective. I now feel calmer and more in control.

Once again, many thanks for your reply, it's given me more confidence in my decision.

Very best wishes

Ann x

Hello Anne!!...we probably share the same north wales oncologist.....its my husband who was diagnosed Feb 22....He was diagnosed with stage 4 palliative nsclc.....after triple chemo  plus immunotherapy  plus a trial drug he was out of the blue offered surgery in Liverpool.....His 4/5day visit turned into 15!!.....He has had radiotherapy  in your hospital....travelled up from north wales(1 hour)....for 25 sessions.....we are hopeful that he will be cancer free.....I admire your decision.......radiotherapy  has knocked him for 6 though..Good luck with your treatment ... all best wishes