At what stage of lung cancer does surgery become necessary

At what stage of lung cancer does surgery become necessary?

Generally, lung cancer in stage I, II, or IIIA requires surgical treatment.

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor that originates from the lung bronchial mucosa or glands. It is generally related to smoking, occupational exposure, environmental pollution, tuberculosis, chronic lung inflammation, family history, etc. Symptoms may include cough, sputum, bloody sputum, low fever, chest pain, and shortness of breath. Lung cancer can generally be divided into stage I, stage II, stage III, and stage IV.

Stage I: The tumor is usually small, with the lung diameter not exceeding 3 cm, and there is no lymph node metastasis. It can also be divided into Stage IA and Stage IB.

Stage II: Usually the tumor is large with no lymph node metastasis, or the tumor is small with intrapulmonary lymph node metastasis. It can also be divided into Stage IIA and Stage IIB.

Stage III: Tumor cells metastasize to the mediastinum or non-lymphatic areas, which can also be divided into stage IIIA and stage IIIB.

Stage IV: Pleural spread, pleural effusion, or the tumor has metastasized to other parts of the body such as the brain, liver, and bones. The effect of surgical treatment is generally poor.

Patients in stages I, II, and IIIA have milder symptoms and can generally undergo surgical treatment. Common surgical methods include tracheal carina resection and reconstruction, lobectomy, and segmentectomy.

In addition to the common situations mentioned above, except for some cases, patients with stage IIIB can also undergo surgical treatment. It is recommended that patients seek medical treatment in time for targeted treatment.