VATS

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ziggymonster
Posts: 538
Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2013 3:23 pm
Location: California

VATS

Postby ziggymonster » Wed Oct 21, 2015 6:11 pm

Been watching 2 small lung nodules for the last year or so .... one growing from appox 5mm to 8mm the other from 6mm to 10mm .....consulted with Thoracic surgeon today, he says it's time to take them out via VATS or treat with CyberKnife. (Colorectal onc is pushing for a biopsy first) I am inclined to get them "outta here" and skip the biopsy.

So for you VATS people how difficult is the surgery ? My surgeon says 2 days in the hospital then 2 weeks recovery at home.....how painful is this ? What about the recovery ?

Do you all concur with skipping the biopsy and going direct to VATS ?
DX advanced prostate cancer 2002
2014 still fighting mPca , failed surgery, radiation, hormone
DX Stage IIIa Rectal Cancer 12/12 1 of 12 nodes +
LAR permanent colostomy 1/13
Folfox 2/13 - 7/13 clear CT CEA 1.2
7/14 liver met chemo the resect in Oct
6/15 2 pos lung mets watching for now

KWT
Posts: 3214
Joined: Thu Jul 11, 2013 7:22 pm

Re: VATS

Postby KWT » Wed Oct 21, 2015 6:33 pm

Hey zig, get em out. I had two vats and it's about what your onc said, I did one night stays and a couple weeks chillin. Sleeping is probably the hardest, pull the ole pillow hug and you'll be fine. I had sbrt, eff that shite. And the biopsie won't be trusted and may do the seeding thing. Good luck

JDinNC
Posts: 771
Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 9:49 pm
Location: Murphy, N.C.

Re: VATS

Postby JDinNC » Wed Oct 21, 2015 6:55 pm

Just skip the biopsy..and get them removed. The surgery wasn't bad, I was out in two day..the worse discomfort was the removal of the drain tube...and that was bearable. The side effects for me was the lost of appetite...other then that I was out shopping with the "girls". No fatigue...

Just be sure to get up and walk those hospital halls...I truly believe this makes a tremendous different in your recovery.

Jan
61 y/o female @ DX...........
T3N0M1
6/13 DX- stage 4
Sigmoid colon cancer.
One met to lung
7/13 colon resection
8/13 lung resection
7/17 four years....NED
8/18 five years....NED
MELANOMA
63 y/o @ DX
6/15 stage 2a
7/15 surgery on arm
7/15 NED
4/16 recurrance
5/16 remove metastasis from back
5/16. Started immunotherapy
8/16 discontinue treatment
7/18...PET scan...NED

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Bev G
Posts: 5856
Joined: Thu Jan 07, 2010 11:19 pm
Facebook Username: Bev Golde
Location: Quechee, VT

Re: VATS

Postby Bev G » Wed Oct 21, 2015 8:48 pm

Hi Ziggy,

I don't know much about VATS so claim no expertise. I'll vote on the biopsy question though....please skip it. Lung biopsies are not risk-free, and the fact that you've had them for a year with a little growth would seem to rule out that they're lung thangs that could stay in there. Good for having a plan to get rid of them!

Best wishes to you.

Bev
58 yo Type1 DM 48 years
12/09 Stage IV 2/22 nodes + liver met, colon resec
3 tx FOLFIRI, liver resec 4/10
9/10 6 mos off chemo, Neg PET&CTC CEA nl
2/11 finished total 10 rounds chemo

9/13 ^17th clean PET/CT NED for now

Hapa
Posts: 388
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 2:46 pm

Re: VATS

Postby Hapa » Thu Oct 22, 2015 11:38 am

Hi Ziggy-

DH had min invasive VATS in March? They worked around the muscles & didn't cut them. He was in the hospital for 2 days & came home just taking Tylenol. He was careful for a couple of weeks but really had very little pain (he has high pain tolerance.) There was some numbness on his chest from the nerves. But, 7 mos later it is almost gone. His surgery was at CPMC San Francisco

feel free to PM if you have any other questions.
Last edited by Hapa on Sat Oct 24, 2015 11:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
DH Stage 3 RC

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ziggymonster
Posts: 538
Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2013 3:23 pm
Location: California

Re: VATS

Postby ziggymonster » Fri Oct 23, 2015 1:31 pm

Thanks all. currently waiting for a call from the surgeon's office to firm up a date.....probably late in Nov.....
DX advanced prostate cancer 2002
2014 still fighting mPca , failed surgery, radiation, hormone
DX Stage IIIa Rectal Cancer 12/12 1 of 12 nodes +
LAR permanent colostomy 1/13
Folfox 2/13 - 7/13 clear CT CEA 1.2
7/14 liver met chemo the resect in Oct
6/15 2 pos lung mets watching for now


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