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Lung Nodule Treatment

Benign lung nodules typically do not require treatment. If your lung nodule is found to be cancerous, we will work with you to design a treatment plan based on your individual needs.

Your treatment options may include:

  • Robotic-assisted surgery. Our surgeons use the DaVinci robotic technology to safely remove the cancerous nodule or section of the lung without the need for open surgery. More than 95% of lung surgeries performed at Orlando Health are successfully performed robotically with less pain and a faster recovery.
  • Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). This targeted radiation therapy delivers precise, focused radiation to the cancerous tumor without damaging surrounding tissue.

Pioneers in Robotic-Assisted Surgery

At the Rod Taylor Thoracic Center at Orlando Health Cancer Institute, we pioneered the use of robotic-assisted surgery in 2007. Today, we continue to use this cutting-edge technology as part of your treatment plan, when possible.

During the two-hour surgery, your surgeon creates five small incisions on the side of the chest between the ribs. Your surgeon will insert the instruments and small video camera through the incisions. Then, they will remove the nodule and any other parts of the lung affected by the cancer, such as a segment or lobe. The precise instruments minimize pain and any bleeding.

This type of surgery results in less blood loss than traditional open surgery — typically only losing a teaspoon of blood. After the robotic-assisted surgery with video, you will be able to walk the same day and leave the hospital in one to two days.

The benefits of robotic-assisted surgery with video include:

  • Less bleeding
  • Less pain
  • Lower risk
  • Faster recovery and healing time
  • Better breathing capacity

Lung Cancer Screening

In some cases, lung nodules may be a sign of lung cancer. At the Orlando Health Cancer Institute, we offer lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients. After filling out a questionnaire, we can determine your risk and schedule a CT scan once a year to screen you for lung cancer.