“The question that comes to me commonly is: if I lose a portion of my lung, will I be able to do everything I love to do?” says Dr. Andrea Wolf, a lung cancer surgeon at Mount Sinai Health System. “And the answer is almost universally, yes.”

Even when removing part of a lung is medically necessary, surgeons can often work closely with patients to give them a clear idea of how their lung function will be impacted.

Why Lung Cancer Surgery Is Often Necessary

One challenge with lung cancer is that it frequently develops without obvious warning signs.

Symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, or a lingering cough can easily be dismissed as normal aging, stress, or respiratory illnesses.

Dr. Joseph Friedberg, thoracic surgeon-in-chief at Temple University Health System, says early-stage lung cancer is often “completely asymptomatic,” with more serious symptoms frequently emerging only after the disease has spread to other parts of the body, including the bones or brain.

When lung cancer is found early, surgery remains the preferred treatment approach for many patients.

“Surgery to remove the cancer is considered the gold standard for stage one lung cancer,” Dr. Friedberg says.

Depending on the tumor’s size and location, surgeons may recommend one of several procedures:

• Segmentectomy: Removal of a small portion of the lung
• Lobectomy: Removal of an entire lobe of the lung
• Pneumonectomy: Removal of an entire lung
• Wedge resection: Removal of a small wedge-shaped section of lung tissue when the tumor is located near the outer edge of the lung

Not every patient is a candidate for extensive surgery. Before an operation, physicians carefully evaluate lung function, cardiovascular health, and overall fitness to make sure a patient can safely tolerate treatment.

How Doctors Predict Life After Surgery

One of the most common misconceptions among patients is that losing part of a lung will inevitably lead to major physical limitations.

In reality, surgeons spend significant time evaluating how much lung function a patient is likely to retain after surgery.

“We do preoperative testing to look at people’s lung function, and if they’re going to lose a large portion of their lung, we actually can measure how much of their lung is contributing to that lung function to estimate what they should expect,” Dr. Wolf explains.

The additional testing helps surgeons personalize recommendations and set realistic expectations long before a procedure takes place. This can be reassuring for many patients.

“For most people, there is enough reserve lung function that they can tolerate removal of even an entire lung,” Dr. Wolf says.

“People who are on oxygen before surgery, or people who have severe emphysema or a lung disease, have different expectations and are probably going to be recommended for different treatment,” she adds.

Adapting After Lung Cancer Surgery

The lungs have a remarkable ability to compensate after surgery, particularly when patients begin with healthy baseline lung function.

While some patients notice temporary shortness of breath during recovery, many ultimately return to their normal routines and activities.

In fact, Dr. Wolf says she’s seen impressive examples of recovery after lung cancer surgery.

“I’ve had high-level athletes, including professional athletes, continue to compete at a high level after lung resection,” she says.

Those experiences highlight an important reality for newly diagnosed patients: losing part of a lung does not automatically mean losing the ability to live an active and fulfilling life.

Recovery & Pain Management

Even when a surgery is successful and cancer is removed, recovery can present its own challenges.

Melissa Culligan, RN, a thoracic nurse at Fox Chase Cancer Center, says many patients find the transition from hospital to home to be one of the most difficult phases of treatment.

WATCH: Pain Management After Lung Cancer Surgery

Once patients leave the hospital, they are responsible for monitoring and managing pain themselves. As activity levels increase during recovery, discomfort often increases as well.

Culligan emphasizes that this does not necessarily signal a complication. Rather, it is often a normal part of the healing process as the body rebuilds strength and adapts following surgery.

She encourages patients to stay physically active, take prescribed pain medications as directed, and maintain close communication with their healthcare team, especially when pain changes in location or intensity.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

• How much of my lung function will be impacted by surgery?
• Are there any activities I will need to avoid after surgery?
• Can I expect to get back to my normal work and exercise routines? When?
• What side effects should I expect after surgery?

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

---