Surgical resection remains the first-line treatment for
patients with stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
-- the most common type of lung cancer -- as well as a select
group of patients with stage IIIa NSCLC.
These and other patients who require surgery are treated by
Duke’s highly experienced thoracic surgery team.
Unlike the majority of hospitals, where general or cardiac
surgeons perform thoracic procedures, Duke is home to four
thoracic surgeons who focus exclusively on lung cancer and
general thoracic oncology surgery. They perform a high volume
of procedures for chest malignancies and repair each year.
Alternative Procedures
Duke is also a national leader in minimally invasive
surgical procedures and surgical alternatives that offer
patients faster and less painful recoveries.
Thoracoscopic lobectomy: A minimally
invasive procedure in which surgeons remove a cancerous lobe
through an incision only 4.5 centimeters long -- roughly two
inches.
Aided by a tiny camera scope, surgeons are able to operate
without having to make a long incision around the chest and use
a retractor to spread the ribs (as in traditional lung
surgery).
Moreover, studies have shown that patients undergoing the
minimally invasive procedure had less pain and inflammation,
spent less time in the hospital, and returned to full activity
sooner. Patients with early-stage lung cancer are candidates
for thoracoscopic lobectomy.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT): An attractive
alternative to surgery for certain cancer patients.
In PDT, patients are given a light-activated drug that is
absorbed by cancer cells. Surgeons then shine a laser on the
tumor to “turn on” the drug, killing the cells. Because PDT has
minimal side effects, it can be used as often as needed (unlike
chemotherapy and radiation treatments).
PDT may be used in attempt to cure cancer for some
early-stage patients, and to prolong survival and improve
quality of life for certain later-stage patients.
Duke surgeons were among the first nationwide to
successfully use PDT to treat early-stage lung cancer, and have
since trained several colleagues from other parts of the
country in the technique.
Physicians
Physicians offering this service include:
Locations
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