Surgery is a common method used to treat early-stage lung cancers. It is often combined with other treatment options, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, to give people the best chance at living a healthy, cancer-free life.

However, surgery is an intensive procedure that requires a hospital stay, and recovery times can be lengthy. Each person will recover and heal from surgery at a different pace, depending on their overall health, age, and any other medical conditions they may have.

Recovery time will also vary based on the type of surgery and the methods that were used. For example, recovery time from a thoracotomy (which makes large incisions along the rib cage) will be longer than minimally invasive techniques such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). VATS uses small incisions so that equipment can be inserted and guided by the surgeon to remove parts of the lung.

Recovery Time and Common Side Effects

Surgery is a stressful experience, and your body will need time to rest. After surgery, you can expect to spend five to seven days in the hospital recovering from open surgery (such as thoracotomy) and two to three days in the hospital from VATS.

In-Hospital Recovery

While you are in the hospital, the nurses and doctors will constantly monitor your condition. They will check your oxygen levels and blood pressure and administer medication. You will most likely be given oxygen while your lungs are recovering. Oxygen may be stopped when you leave the hospital or it may be continued at home, depending on your condition.

It is common to experience shortness of breath after lung cancer surgery. At the hospital, you will likely be taught breathing exercises to help re-expand your lungs, improve your overall lung function, and prevent pneumonia. You will also be encouraged to move around and take walks to help prevent blood clots and heal your lungs.

You may also have a urinary catheter during and shortly after surgery to help you go to the bathroom. Constipation is also common when you are taking pain relievers known as narcotics. Your health care team will give you medicine to help with this while you are recovering in the hospital.

Your surgeon will have also put a chest tube in to help drain fluid and air from your lungs while you recover. The tube will be removed once the fluid drainage decreases enough and it is no longer leaking air, which takes around one week after surgery. Most people will go home from the hospital on the same day that their chest tube is removed.

At-Home Care and Recovery Time

Your thoracic surgeon may close your incision using staples or stitches. These closures are typically removed by your doctor one to two weeks after surgery. However, the incision site can still become irritated and feel itchy, tight, or numb up to three months after surgery. If you experience any of these side effects, your doctor can give you medication to help.

It is normal to feel tired for a month or two after your surgery. It will be important to get plenty of sleep to help your body heal during this time. Your chest will likely be stiff and swollen for roughly six weeks — if it does not get better after that, contact your doctor.

Recovery by Type of Surgery

There are several types of lung cancer surgery that can be performed, depending on your overall health and the size and location of the tumor. The type of lung cancer (non-small cell lung cancer versus small cell lung cancer) will also come into play in recovery times. The recovery times will typically vary with the type of surgery and other factors.

Lobectomy

During a lobectomy, the lung lobe that contains the tumor is removed. This is the most common type of surgery used to treat lung cancer, and is preferred for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specifically.

In most cases, a lobectomy is performed using a thoracotomy. This method involves opening the chest and spreading the ribs to get to the lung. Because it’s an invasive approach, recovery times will be longer than other techniques. In some cases, VATS may be used as a less-intensive surgery option for a lobectomy.

Pneumonectomy

A pneumonectomy involves the removal of the entire lung that has the cancer. A pneumonectomy is an intensive procedure that involves open surgery, and your thoracic surgeon will likely have to spread your ribs apart to get to the lung. Recovery time often takes weeks to months.

After a pneumonectomy, you will only have one functional lung. Most people can live well with just one lung, but your activity level may be affected for a few months after surgery. If you previously smoked and have chronic bronchitis or emphysema, you may experience some shortness of breath with some activities.

Sleeve Resection

A sleeve resection (also known as a sleeve lobectomy) removes both the lung lobe and part of the bronchus (main airway) that is affected by the cancer. The recovery time from a sleeve resection is shorter than more intense surgeries such as a pneumonectomy, though you may still need to recover in the hospital for up to 10 days.

Segmentectomy

Each lung lobe contains three to five smaller areas known as segments. A segmentectomy (also known as a wedge resection) is the removal of one or more of these segments. This surgery leaves the other lung lobes intact, and can be used when a person is not healthy enough for the removal of an entire lobe. A segmentectomy can be performed using either a thoracotomy or VATS, which will affect your overall recovery time from this procedure.

Talk With Others Who Understand

MyLungCancerTeam is the social network for people with lung cancer and their loved ones. Members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with lung cancer.

Are you considering surgery for lung cancer? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on MyLungCancerTeam.