News|Videos|October 9, 2026
The Cancer Search Bar: Top Lung Cancer Surgery Questions Answered
Author(s)Spencer Feldman
Fact checked by: CURE staff
Dr. Neel Chudgar of Montefiore Einstein answers the most searched questions about lung cancer surgery, including risks, recovery and recurrence.
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Episodes in this series
In this episode of The Cancer Search Bar, Dr. Neel Chudgar, a thoracic surgeon and associate director of clinical and translational research in thoracic surgery at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, answers five of the most searched questions about lung cancer surgery.
He explains that surgery is used most often for early-stage disease, when it can be performed with the goal of a cure, and alongside chemotherapy, immunotherapy or targeted therapy for stage 2 or 3 disease. He also discusses life after having part of a lung removed, citing data showing lung function reductions of about 12% after lobectomy and 8.5% after segmentectomy at one year.
Dr. Chudgar describes how minimally invasive approaches, including robotic surgery, account for about 80% of lung cancer operations nationwide and reviews surgical risks. He closes by addressing recurrence, noting that 75% to 90% of people with stage 1 lung cancer are cured after surgery and explaining why follow-up CT scans matter.
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