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Surgical procedures
Surgery that may be needed by people with chest cancers includes:
- Decortication –Removal of a scar, infection, or cancer entrapping the lung.
- Esophagectomy – Removal of a portion or all to the esophagus, which is the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
- Lateral thoracotomy – Surgery in which the chest wall is opened between two ribs. A thoracotomy may be performed to remove a cancerous tumor in the lung.
- Lobectomy – Lobes are sections of the lung. The right lung has three lobes and the left lung has two lobes. Lobectomy is the removal of a lobe of the lung. It is the most common surgery for lung cancer.
- Lymph node dissection– Removal of lymph nodes during a cancer operation to aid in staging.
- Median sternotomy– Surgery that involves cutting through the breastbone to operate on the chest cavity. May be performed to remove a cancerous tumor.
- Mediastinoscopy– Surgery in which the middle of the chest cavity is examined through small incisions. It allows surgeons to remove lymph nodes from between the lungs and to test them for cancer or infection. It is also useful for examining the outside surface of the large tubes of the airways (such as the trachea) or for evaluating tumors or masses in the middle chest.
- Pneumonectomy – Surgical removal of the entire lung.
- Thymectomy – Surgical removal of the thymus gland. The thymus gland is an important part of the development of the immune system during infancy.
- VATS (video assisted thoracic surgery) – Performance of chest surgical procedures via small incisions using special instruments and scopes with video cameras.
- Wedge resection – Surgical removal of part of a lobe of the lung.
Non-surgical procedures
Non-surgical procedures that may be needed by people with chest cancers include:
- Biopsy – A sample of tissue is taken from the body, then examined under a microscope to determine whether it has cancer.
- Bone Scan – An imaging test performed in the nuclear medicine department to detect bone abnormalities, such as tumors (benign and malignant), fractures, and infections.
- Bronchoscopy – The passage of a tube with a tiny camera down the air passages. It is usually done to get a sample of deep lung mucous or lung tissue to help diagnose cancer, pneumonia, or other lung disease. A biopsy is sometimes performed during a bronchoscopy. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia.
- Fine needle aspiration – A slender needle attached to a syringe is used to take fluid from an area where cancer is suspected.
- Sputum cytology – A sample of phlegm is looked at under a microscope to see if cancer cells are present.
- Thoracentesis – A procedure in which an abnormal collection of fluid is removed from the space between the lung and rib cage or the lung and diaphragm. The fluid is removed by needle puncture. The fluid can be caused by infections or diseases, including lung cancer. This collection of fluid is called a pleural effusion. A pleural effusion can be detected on a chest x-ray. A sample of the fluid can be sent to the pathologist for diagnosis.
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