Stage 3A surgery option

[Beepers7]

Starting my chemoradiation Monday. Was diagnosed in September 2019. Have had consultations from oncologist and two thorastic surgeons. Two are somewhat skeptical of surgery but one surgeon is very positive. I will have two rounds of chemoradiation then PET scan. Then possibility of surgery. Any suggestions or experiences? Thank you all for being there

[SusieJo1948]

Good Morning Beepers,what stage are you was staged 3 in. Lympnodes the surgeon removed upper left lobe was supposed to do6 weeks of radiation 5 days a week I was really weak so i turned it down and did 6 months of chemo. am now a 7 year survivor.In no way am I saying don't do radiation that's between you and your Drs what's best for you. Why are they. Saying no surgery a lot on here that are stage 4 were able to have surgery and some were not. I guess it depends where the tumor is at. Ask. Dr's to explain whatever you do talk everything over with Dr"s were not able to diagnose we can tell you what we went thru but always talk to Dr's because what we went thru might not be right for you. Some of the others will reply too you.were all here for you anytime. We care have hope,don't give up keep fighting. Stages 3--4are living longer with all the new treatments out and more coming. Let us know what's happening we are a wonderful group. Love susiejo1948

[Beepers7 in reply to SusieJo1948]

Thanks Susie,

I hope surgery or no surgery will become more clear as I start treatment Monday. I agree that everyone is different and we must rely on Doctors best advice. I will keep you posted . Thanks again and so glad you are doing well after all the years. 🤗

[Janey_H]

Hi there

I was stage 3b and had chemo and then radiotherapy. It was only after this that I became eligible for surgery and had the right upper lobe removed along with some mediastinal lymph nodes.

My scans were then clear for a few years and I had a node light up on PET scan in my neck a couple of years ago. Have since had neck surgery. Just awaiting recent routine scan results but am five and a half years now since initial diagnosis and am on no treatment. I had some radio following the neck surgery but not following the lung surgery (maybe because the surgery came after the chemo / radio anyway).

Good luck xx

[JanetteR57]

The reason you're getting mixed messages is that as new treatments have come along or trials have proved that radiatherapy/chemotherapy combinations plus/minus immunotherapy, there has been a move by oncologists to suggest that surgery may be unnecessary. however surgeons and patients disagree. I recently attended an update symposium on lung cancer by Royal Marsden group where there was a debate on this very subject but the outcome was that surgery does have a place in stage 3 lung cancer. I was one of only 2 patient reps in the room and there were only 2 surgeons in the room so that in itself was interesting - that the majority were oncologists, nurses, pathologists and other healthcare professionals. As others have said, a lot depends on the patient themselves but as somebody who underwent a lobectomy in Dec 2010 to remove a 7cm tumour that at the time was stage 2b but IASLC TNM8 classification has changed since then, would now fall into the stage 3. Good luck whatever you decide.

[Heather1959]

Hello, I was dx stage 3a in 2012. Before my dx, I had surgery to remove my bottom right lobe and a sampling of lymph nodes. When my surgeon found out I had lymph node involved, he told me that had he known, he would not have done surgery. It isn't the protocol. Surgery was followed by chemo and radiation. Since June 2013 I have had no evidence of the disease. That's just my story so whether I am lucky, I'm still here. Just had my yearly scan last week so i have my fingers crossed. There is some research looking into surgery post treatments but I'm not sure where it is at. I hope this gives you a bit of hope.