Lung cancer surgery is done under general anesthesia. Advances in surgical and anesthetic techniques have increased the number of patients who can have this treatment and the safety with which it can be performed. The doctor explains what will be done in the surgery and what the patient can do to ease the recovery process. Patients should not hesitate to ask what could be done to relieve pain or discomfort following the surgery. Tubes are placed in the chest to help remove fluid and air that can collect in the chest after surgery.
Most patients also receive respiratory therapy after surgery.
Patients may be given special exercises to strengthen muscles of the chest and arm that may be weakened by the surgery. In chemotherapy, drugs are used to kill cancer cells. Usually, anticancer drugs are injected into a blood vessel or muscle and they flow to nearly every part of the body. The drugs are generally given in cycles, with each treatment followed by a period of recovery. Most patients receive chemotherapy as outpatients.