Surgery is a common treatment for early-stage lung cancers that haven’t metastasized (spread). It’s often combined with other lung cancer treatment options, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy, to give people the best chance at living a healthy, cancer-free life. If you’re planning to have lung cancer surgery, it’s important to know what to expect.

Thoracic surgery (chest 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 surgery such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). VATS — also known as “keyhole surgery” — uses small incisions and a small camera that guides the surgeon in removing parts of the lung.

Recovery Time and Common Side Effects

Lung cancer surgery, also known as lung resection, 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 recovering from VATS.

In-Hospital Recovery

While you are in the hospital, the nurses and doctors will carefully monitor your condition. They’ll regularly check your oxygen levels and blood pressure, and they’ll administer medication when needed. Most people are given oxygen during recovery from lung cancer surgery. Oxygen may be stopped when you leave the hospital or it may be continued at home, depending on your condition.

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

You may 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 medicine known as narcotics. Your health care team will give you medicine to help with this while you are recovering in the hospital.

During surgery, a chest tube may be inserted to help drain fluid and clear air leaks from your lungs while you recover. The tube will be removed once the fluid drainage decreases and your lungs are 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’s 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. Contact your doctor if you experience any ongoing discomfort after six weeks. Be sure to attend any follow-up appointments so your doctor can monitor your recovery.

Pain From Lung Cancer Surgery

Some general pain should be expected with surgery. It’s common to ask how long pain will last after lung cancer surgery, but there’s no one answer.

Short-term pain and soreness can occur for the first week or so after surgery at the incision site and may occur with breathing initially. There is usually less pain with VATS. With open-chest lung surgery, there is a higher risk of nerve pain and long-term pain that may continue for several months or longer.

If you experience pain, be sure to let your oncology care team know. Your doctor may recommend pain medication and other strategies for managing pain.

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 lung tumor. Recovery time can vary depending on factors including the type of surgery and your overall health.

Average Recovery Time From Lung Cancer Surgery, by Type

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 it’s preferred for treating both non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

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-chest surgery, in which 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 normal 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 it’s recommended 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

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