Lung cancer - any info please?

[curlew]

I've just had a phone call from a friend - she has had uncontrollable late onset asthma for the past two years, and has just (today) been diagnosed with an "atypical cancerous lesion" of the lung. She's 50, and a non smoker. She has been told that she should have the lung removed and this will be done in the next two weeks. The cancer hasn't spread. I didn't ask any detailed questions because she and I were both in shock and I don't really know what I need to know, but I was wondering if anybody has an experiences/information for me before I speak to her again tomorrow. What I keep wondering is - what happens if you have a lung removed - does your chest collapse on that side?

Bumping for medical staff....

Sorry to hear your friends news - you could offer to go and see her consultant with her, two heads are always better than one in these situations.

im not medical but my dad had a small part of lung cancer on one lung. They were hoping to just remove that part of the lung but when they operated they decided it owuld be pointless leaving the rest as it wouldnt really serve a purpose so they removed it. He was making a good recovery until his bronchus opened up and remained undiagnosed for several days. He went back to theatre to be "Patched up" then it all went tits up and he died two weeks later.

That said, many many people lead perfectly good lives with just one lung and Im sure your friend will be the same.

Just make sure (or tell her to) to report any strange sensations to the medical staff and harrass them until everything has been checked

Oh curlew...I'm so sorry. I do have a friend who was also diagnosed at around 50, she was a smoker so probably different sort of cancer, and hers was in the top part of one lung - she was one of the 'lucky'(!) ones who was diagnosed early, and half her lung was removed. She was a bit breathless for a while after her op, but made a full recovery and is fine ten years later...fit, active, and no longer a smoker.

Dreadful news as lung cancer is, I'm glad your friend's doctors plan to operate - thats a very good sign, if they thought it was too advanced or spread, they probably wouldn't.

Wishing her the very very best...xxx