That option was not discussed with me at the time and I didn't know much about lung cancer to question. I trusted my doctors and feel the correct decision was made. I have a feeling there are a lot of people that SBRT has not been given as a option. And yes the side effects of surgery can be hard.

Hi Jerry4, When I first went to my oncologist he immediately talked about surgery. I asked if there were any other viable options and he set me up with a consultation with a radiation oncologist. I opted for SBRT rather than surgery. So far so good...will go back for another CT in August. The radiation continues to "cook" the cancer cells. I had SBRT back in April of 2022 and the radiation oncologist is "pleased" with the results so far. Had my last CT in April of 2023.

I had right upper and right middle lobes removed via thoracotomy in 2000 at age 46. I had a new spot on my left lower lobe in 2021 at age 68. I opted for SBRT because no way I want to go through another thoracotomy. Plus I'd had nerve pain from the thoracotomy for the last 21 years. I didn't want that again. But not so fast....

All seemed to go well with my SBRT. Just two treatments. Just an hour each day on consecutive days. No hospital. No scar. No pain. I couldn't believe how easy it was.
Then a few days later the pain slowly set it. This blossomed into a week or two of horrible pain, nights sleeping on the couch and then finally on the floor in child's pose clutching the carpet. I guess the spot they zapped was right next to the nerve bundle and a rib on my left side. So now two years later, believe it or not, it feels just like I've had a thoracotomy on my left side too! Go figure. So some of us do have pain long term after SBRT.

Another disadvantage was that the radiation took longer to kill the tumor. The whole thing smoldered for a year or so until everything stabilized. From what I've read, radiation doesn't kill cancer cells immediately. It kills cancer cells when they try to split during mitosis. So if the cancer is a slow growing type with slow mitosis, then it takes a while for the radiation to kill the cells. So there is still scanxiety with SBRT.

But overall you are right. SBRT was far easier journey than bi-lobectomy. Plus SBRT has shown to be almost as effective as surgery. I am glad to hear that your SBRT went well.

I also had radiation done on my r lung It does take time but it is shrinking I go back in August for another ct scan Hopefully it is still shrinking I have copd and I opted against surgery

I had SBRT for prostate cancer-5 treatments over 3 weeks and i m been fine for past 4 years, For my lung cancer my Dr said a biopsy followed by surgery my best option-if it was not cancerous he'd do a wedge resection-part of lobe-if it was cancerous-and it was-the whole lobe- i woke up to find out he removed the whole lobe-stage 1-I had VATS surgery-Video Assisted Thoracic Surgery-its done under the arm through 3 small incisions-not as invasive- 2 days in the hospital-a few minor issues-had drainage tube for 2 weeks but overall a quick recovery and fine since than