Superior Sulcus Tumor Surgery

Superior sulcus tumor (or Pancoast tumor) surgery is performed to remove all of the cancer from a patient’s body. Pancoast tumors can be challenging to eliminate in their entirety, so adding chemotherapy and radiation therapy to surgery provides significant benefits in terms of both survival and quality of life.

At Moffitt Cancer Center, every patient who comes to us for Pancoast tumor treatment is evaluated by both a thoracic surgeon and neurosurgeon who have specific experience in performing superior sulcus tumor surgery to determine if an operation is possible, and if so, which procedure can potentially provide the most benefits. Our team has extensive experience in addressing these tumors, which translates to exceptional outcomes for our patients.

Superior sulcus tumors have spread to nearby structures by the time they are diagnosed, which means that several surgical experts may need to become involved with treatment. At Moffitt, our Pancoast tumor treatment program includes a number of experienced surgeons, including:

• Thoracic surgeons (who specialize in procedures involving the lungs and chest)
• Neurosurgeons (who specialize in procedures involving the nerves, spine and spinal cord)
• Vascular surgeons (who specialize in procedures involving the arteries and veins)

Working hand-in-hand with a patient’s other treatment providers including medical oncologists and radiation oncologists, our highly skilled sulcus tumor surgeons create a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan for each patient. At Moffitt, our approach includes combining Pancoast tumor surgery with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which produces the best results.

Superior sulcus surgery is typically performed three to five weeks after a patient completes initial cycles of chemotherapy. Then, six weeks after surgery, the patient is usually scheduled for radiation therapy to destroy any potential remaining cancer cells. However, we recognize that each patient’s needs are unique, and that there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” treatment plan. Our focused, coordinated efforts allow us to provide each patient with the most promising therapies for his or her individual needs.

For more information about superior sulcus tumor surgery at Moffitt, call 1-888-663-3488 or submit a new patient registration form online. No referral is needed to discuss your treatment options with our experienced Pancoast tumor oncologists.