Lung Cancer Surgery

Lung cancer treatment depends on the type of lung cancer disease you have, its location and how advanced it is. Most lung cancer treatment plans include some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

If you do have a cancer that responds well to surgery, your surgeon will discuss different options with you.

Your plan may include surgery to remove the tumor, part of your lung or your entire lung, depending on where your cancer is located.

Surgery is an effective treatment option if you have:

Non-small cell lung cancer that has not yet spread to other organs
Tumors that originate in or are invading your chest wall or diaphragm
Tumors in your esophagus
Tumors in the center of your chest (mediastinal tumors)
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are often combined with surgery for certain types of lung cancers.

Are There Procedures I Need Before I Have Surgery?

There are two procedures that may be performed before your surgery at the Comprehensive Cancer Center:

Bronchoscopy - This allows your surgeon to examine the main airways inside your lungs or take tissue samples (biopsies). Your surgeon uses a small videoscope (bronchoscope) that may go through your mouth or nose. It may be done before your surgery day, but it is usually performed again just prior to surgery.

Mediastinoscopy - The mediastinum is the area located between your lungs. It contains parts of your body such as the heart, thymus, esophagus, trachea, large blood vessels and numerous lymph nodes. Your surgeon makes a small cut in your neck and a small videoscope (mediastinoscope) is inserted to see the upper portion of your chest. Lymph node biopsies are taken to help in staging the cancer. This may be performed as an outpatient procedure before your surgery.

Are There Minimally Invasive Surgeries for Lung Cancer?

There are two options for minimally invasive surgery at the Comprehensive Cancer Center:

Robotic-assisted thoracic surgery

This procedure uses the most advanced technology currently available. Surgery is performed through four or five tiny cuts between your ribs. This means you avoid a large incision and the chance that your ribs will be spread apart. Your surgeon controls the robotic system, which makes small, precise movements of tiny instruments inside your body.

The benefits of robot-assisted surgery versus traditional open surgery include:

Lower rate of complications
Less blood loss
Shorter hospital stay
Less pain
Faster return to normal quality of life

Video-assisted Thoracic Surgery (VATS)

VATS is performed with a small videoscope (thoracoscope) that uses small incisions and specialized instruments. This procedure typically results in less pain and quicker recovery times than a traditional thoracotomy.

If you need lung surgery, your surgeon will consider a minimally invasive option first. However, some procedures are still best performed using a traditional “open” technique.

What are Some of the Traditional Surgical Options for Lung Cancer?

Thoracotomy

A cut is made along the side of your chest, and your ribs are spread apart so your surgeon can better see your lungs. The amount of lung removed will depend on the type, size and location of the abnormal area(s).

Segmentectomy

This is a lung-sparing resection performed for certain benign (non-malignant) lesions and on select patients with lung cancer. Your surgeon will remove the part of your lung where the tumor is growing and any margins around the tumor that may have cancer cells.

Radio frequency ablation for lung tumors (RFA)

This procedure removes an entire lung. It is commonly performed if the cancer has spread throughout your lung or the abnormal area is centrally located. Before the surgery, your surgeon will make sure that your other lung is strong enough to breathe for your body.

Wedge resection

During this procedure, only a small part of your lung is removed. It is usually a triangle-shaped piece of the lung where the tumor is growing. Wedge resection is performed if the abnormal area is benign or small and located on the edge of the lung.

Lobectomy

The lungs have multiple lobes — three lobes on the right and two lobes on the left. In this procedure, an entire lobe of the lung is removed.

Pneumonectomy

Providers

Support Services

Cancer is a complex journey for patients and families. Before cancer, life had challenges; now they may seem insurmountable. The anxieties about health, keeping up with daily activities and maintaining important, critical relationship are common for all cancer patients and their families.

Our patient and family support services are here to help our patients so they know they have someone experienced to count on when they need it. We are here to make a difference—not just in your cancer outcome—but in the moments along the way, so you and your loved ones know there is always someone to help.

For an appointment with one of our counselors in the Cancer Patient Support Program or the Psychosocial Oncology Program, please call 336-713-6954.

For questions about the Cancer Survivorship Clinic, please call 336-713-1736.

Referring Physicians

At Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist we understand the importance of referrals. Our Physician Liaisons partner with referring physicians in our community and beyond to provide information on our physicians and clinical services. Full list of new physicians.

Contact the Physician Liaisons

Insurance

Insurance Accepted

This chart is a list of the most common health insurance plans we accept. This list is subject to change. Please check your individual plan to confirm their participation and the coverage allowed.

Due to the different physician groups and hospitals within the Wake Forest Baptist system, physician services and hospital services are billed separately. Please remember that health insurance coverage varies, so some services may not be covered.

If you don’t see your plan or you have questions, please call our Customer Service Center at 877-938-7497. We will do our best to work with you and your plan.

Key

WFUHS - Wake Forest University Health Sciences (professional services)
NCBH - North Carolina Baptist Hospital (Includes Davie)
LMC - Lexington Medical Center
CHC - Cornerstone Healthcare
Wilkes - Wilkes Regional Medical Center
HPR- High Point Regional
N/A - Not applicable to services provided at facility and/or CHC
NC -Not Contracted, very low to no volume for facility and/or CHC

Wake Forest Baptist Health Managed Care/MA Contracts - April 2024

AETNA CONNECTED NC ACA/Exchange: Accepted at all locations

AETNA NC PREFERRED+: Accepted at all locations

AETNA (PPO & HMO): Accepted at all locations

AETNA MEDICARE: Accepted at all locations

AETNA WHOLE HEALTH: Accepted at all locations

ALIGNMENT HEALTHCARE MEDICARE ADVANTAGE: Accepted at all locations

AMBETTER OF NC: Accepted at all locations

AMERIHEALTH CARITAS NEXT ACA/Exchange: Accepted at all locations

BCBSNC (PPO & HMO): Accepted at all locations

BCBS HIGH PERFORMANCE (NATIONAL NETWORK): Accepted at all locations

BLUE LOCAL WITH ATRIUM HEALTH: Accepted at all locations

BLUE MEDICARE: Accepted at all locations

BLUE VALUE: Accepted at all locations

CAROLINA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and CHC (not applicable to services provided at LMC, Wilkes and High Point)

CIGNA: Accepted at all locations

CIGNA BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and High Point (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC and Wilkes)

CIGNA HEALTHSPRING MEDICARE ADVANTAGE: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, LMC, CHC and High Point (not applicable to services provided at Wilkes)

CIGNA LIFESOURCE (TRANSPLANTS): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

CRESCENT PPO (ASHEVILLE): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

DEVOTED HEALTH (MEDICARE ADVANTAGE): Accepted at all locations

DIRECT NET: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, LMC, Wilkes and High Point (not contracted, very low to no volume for CHC)

FIRST HEALTH NETWORK: Accepted at NCBH, LMC, Wilkes and High Point (not contracted, very low to no volume for WFUHS and CHC)

FIRSTCAROLINACARE (PINEHURST, NC): Accepted at NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for WFUHS, LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

GATEWAY HEALTH ALLIANCE (VIRGINIA): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

HEALTHGRAM (formerly PRIMARY PHYSICIAN CARE): Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and LMC (not contracted, very low to no volume for CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

HEALTHTEAM ADVANTAGE: Accepted at all locations

HUMANA CHOICECARE: Accepted at all locations

HUMANA MEDICARE ADVANTAGE: Accepted at all locations

LIBERTY ADVANTAGE (MEDICARE ADVANTAGE): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

MAGELLAN (BEHAVIORAL HEALTH): Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and CHC (not applicable to services provided at LMC, Wilkes and High Point)

MEDCOST: Accepted at all locations

MEDCOST ULTRA: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, LMC, Wilkes and High Point (not applicable at CHC)

PHCS/MULTIPLAN: Accepted at NCBH, CHC, LMC and High Point (not contracted, very low to no volume for WFUHS and Wilkes)

OPTUMHEALTH (TRANSPLANTS - APPLICABLE TO NCBH/WFUHS ONLY): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not applicable to services provided at LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

PREFERRED CARE OF VA INC: Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

SOUTHERN HEALTH SVCS (COVENTRY-PPO ONLY): Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH and CHC (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, Wilkes and High Point)

TWIN COUNTY (VIRGINIA): Accepted at WFUHS and NCBH (not contracted, very low to no volume for LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

UNITED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Accepted at WFUHS, NCBH, CHC and High Point (not applicable to services provided at LMC and Wilkes)

UNITED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAM (WFUHS ONLY): Accepted at WFUHS (not applicable for services provided at NCBH, LMC, CHC, Wilkes and High Point)

UNITED HEALTHCARE: Accepted at all locations

UNITED HEALTHCARE ESSENTIALS ACA/EXCHANGE: Accepted at all locations

UNITED HEALTHCARE MEDICARE: Accepted at all locations

VA CCN: Accepted at all locations

WELLCARE (MEDICARE ADVANTAGE): Accepted at all locations

LMC ONLY: Contracts specific to support Lexington employer groups, low volume
NATIONAL PROVIDER NETWORK/MEDICAL RESOURCES

CHC ONLY: Contracts specific to support CHC
TRICARE

Key

WFUHS - Wake Forest University Health Sciences (professional services)
NCBH - North Carolina Baptist Hospital (Includes Davie)
LMC - Lexington Medical Center
CHC - Cornerstone Healthcare
Wilkes - Wilkes Regional Medical Center
HPR- High Point Regional
N/A - Not applicable to services provided at facility and/or CHC
NC - Not Contracted, very low to no volume for facility and/or CHC

Research and Clinical Trials

As part of the Comprehensive Cancer Center, our patients have access to clinical trials—investigational treatments that help advance our understanding of fighting and curing cancer. Many of these trials are only available right here at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, and our physicians and staff will help you decide if choosing that pathway to treatment is right for you.