Goal of Lung Cancer Surgery

The goal of surgery is to remove the tumor from your lung. Your doctor will try to take out the tumor without harming other parts of your body, but he or she usually has to remove part or all of the cancerous lung.

Surgery is the most common treatment for lung cancers that have not spread to other parts of your body. Non-small cell lung cancer that is stage 0 to IIIA can usually be treated with surgery (often with other forms of treatment as well). Non-small cell lung cancer that is stage IIIB or stage IV cancer is not usually treated with surgery. Surgery is less likely to be an option for you if you have small cell lung cancer.