E-mail pageActive as Ever--a Decade After Lung Cancer Surgery
Watch Jeanie Dallas exercise and you'd never suspect that she faced and conquered lung cancer more than 10 years ago. Her only reminder of cancer is a small scar from surgery and annual visits to the University of Chicago Medical Center to monitor her for cancer recurrence.
Jeanie DallasJeanie's journey began in 1997 with pain near her shoulder--a symptom she attributed to a change in her exercise routine. When the pain persisted for several weeks, she went to her local hospital for testing. There, an X-ray revealed a mass near Jeanie's subclavian artery, dangerously close to her heart. It was an early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer.
Doctors at her local hospital recommended radiation therapy and chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, and then planned to surgically remove the remaining tumor. These treatments did help shrink the tumor, but they also caused lung tissue to adhere to the chest wall.
"My doctor explained that if I began more aggressive chemotherapy or radiation therapy, surgery would no longer be an option for treatment. That scared me, so I wanted another opinion," she says.
Because the tumor was so close to a major artery, Jeanie sought an expert with experience in complex lung surgery. A friend who is a nurse advised Jeanie to see thoracic surgeon Mark Ferguson, MD, at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Dr. Ferguson specializes in surgery of the lung and esophagus, and has extensive experience in the surgical removal of lung tumors.
Surgical removal was complicated by Jeanie's prior treatment. Dr. Ferguson explains, "Because of her radiation therapy before coming to the University of Chicago, Jeanie's lung was stuck to the chest wall and the center of her chest. This made her surgery more technically challenging.
He adds, "Ideally, we like to see patients and evaluate them for surgery before they receive pre-operative treatment (such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy). The timing of surgery is very important to the outcome." Each patient's treatment plan is unique, based on their type and stage of cancer. Pre-operative treatment may be recommended for some patients, but not for others.
Before embarking on the surgery, Dr. Ferguson performed an additional diagnostic procedure--a mediastinoscopy--to confirm that Jeanie's lymph nodes were cancer-free. Her cancer had been found at an early stage and had not metastasized (spread to lymph nodes or other organs). Early diagnosis of any cancer significantly improves the effectiveness of treatment.
Mark Ferguson, MDSurgery in Experienced Hands
Jeanie never looked back on her decision to move from the convenience of her community hospital to an academic medical center. "I knew I was in a great hospital with a great doctor, so what more could I ask for? I was scared about the surgery, but very confident in my surgeon and the larger hospital," she says. The University of Chicago Medical Center is recognized as one of the best cancer centers in the United States and is the highest-ranked cancer program in Illinois, according to U.S.News & World Report.
Dr. Ferguson's team removed the upper right lobe of Jeanie's lung, as well as additional tissue to free the lung tissue that had adhered to the chest wall. The surgeons also had to remove the nerve that controls the diaphragm and a blood vessel to the breastbone--a consequence of her prior treatments.
"Even though Jeanie had a good reaction to the earlier chemotherapy and radiation therapy, there was still cancer present in the lung lobe that we removed," says Dr. Ferguson. The only way to completely eliminate the cancer was to remove it surgically.
Jeanie stayed only two nights in the hospital before recovering at home. With her active lifestyle and positive attitude, she was back to her routines even quicker than expected. She recalls, "I'm in a bowling league and we had a tournament. So just two weeks after surgery, I bowled using my right arm. Even Dr. Ferguson was surprised. He warned me not to lift anything over 20 pounds, but my bowling ball is only 12 pounds--and my team needed me."
Active as Always
More than a decade after lung cancer surgery, Jeanie hasn't let up on her active lifestyle. Between teaching fitness classes and daily workouts that include weight lifting, strength training and cardiovascular exercises, she declares, "60 is the new 40. I'm in great shape and I feel great." She sees Dr. Ferguson annually for a chest X-ray and other tests--just to make sure cancer doesn't recur.
Dr. Ferguson says, "Jeanie has enjoyed a great deal of high-quality life since her surgery. She's a great example that a diagnosis of lung cancer and the need for lung surgery are not automatic death sentences."
Jeanie takes Dr. Ferguson's words to heart. She says, "I feel so lucky to still be walking this earth."
August 2008
