A Pancoast tumor is a rare type of lung cancer, yet it is one of the most searched words on the internet. While once considered universally fatal, advances in surgery and targeted radiation therapy like CyberKnife have improved outcomes. For early-stage, the five-year survival rate is approximately 30% to 50%.
Pancoast tumors form at the very top of either the right or left lung. They are primarily caused by smoking, are more common in men, typically diagnosed in their 50s or 60s, and commonly cause severe shoulder/arm pain.
Because of their location, the tumors often grow into or compress nearby structures like the ribs, spine, nerves, and blood vessels rather than the lung tissue itself.
Unlike most lung cancers, Pancoast tumors rarely cause respiratory symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath. Instead the most common symptom (up to 96% of cases) often caused by the tumor pressing on local nerves is severe shoulder and arm pain radiating down to the pinky and ring fingers, hand and arm weakness, muscle wasting or loss of dexterity in the affected hand.
Horner Syndrome occurs in about 50% of cases when the tumor affects sympathetic nerves. Symptoms include a droopy eyelid (ptosis), a small pupil (miosis), and a lack of sweating on one side of the face (anhidrosis).
Pancoast tumors are famously difficult to diagnose early because they are hard to see on standard chest X-rays, where they may appear as a small shadow or be obscured by the collarbone.
An MRI or CT scans are required to get a detailed view of the tumor and to see if it has invaded nearby nerves or blood vessels. A needle biopsy or surgical procedure is then necessary to confirm the cancer type.
Unfortunately, many patients are initially misdiagnosed with orthopedic issues like a “pinched nerve,” rotator cuff injury, or frozen shoulder, leading to delays in treatment, and harder to cure.
The standard treatment for a Pancoast tumor is a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy like CyberKnife to shrink the tumor, followed by surgery to remove the top portion of the lung and often parts of the first few ribs.
CyberKnife is a non-invasive, outpatient, robotic stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for Pancoast tumors, delivering high-dose, targeted radiation in 1-to-5 sessions, and is often the best radiation choice for patients.
That’s because it uses real-time motion tracking, so the CyberKnife’s robotic arm adjusts to every breathing movement, allowing for sub-millimeter accuracy, greatly reducing the risk of damage to surrounding nerves and tissues in the upper lung area, leading to minimal to no side effects. CyberKnife therapy may also be used to manage pain caused by Pancoast tumors.
When to Seek Care: If you have persistent, unexplained shoulder or arm pain, particularly if you have a history of smoking see your doctor. Early diagnosis is critical for better outcomes.
When Danny was first diagnosed with a Pancoast lung tumor, he was told by doctors in Texas that there wasn’t much they could do for him and even with cancer treatment he wouldn’t live long.
Fortunately Danny discovered the CyberKnife Center of Miami where he was treated and lived another five years.
Unlike other cancer centers, our top cancer doctors and team believe, it’s always worth a try and most often we can help patients, at the very least be more comfortable, get pain relief and buy them the precious gift of time.
We give patients not just hope but life for as long as possible.
Let’s face it, getting a cancer diagnosis is very scary. More than any thing you want to get it treated as fast as you can and get it over with.
But many patients discover trying to get treated can be scarier than the diagnosis, and a painfully slow process. Getting everything set up to start treatment is often a nightmare, including getting the necessary scans for proper diagnosis, getting an appointment to see the right cancer specialists and scheduling treatment appointments.
It can be extremely frustrating since every cancer patient knows time is of the essence. The sooner you get treated the better chance of beating cancer. Delays are mentally traumatic, adding unnecessary stress.
That’s where the CyberKnife Center of Miami is in a league of its own. We help you with all of that. We make the whole process as quick and easy as possible.
Even if your cancer can’t be cured, chances are it can be treated and we can buy you time. How much time, no one knows. Much depends on your overall health, and even your mental health. Keeping a positive attitude is vital, and we help you do that.
We put patients first and hold your hand every step of the way. You have our utmost commitment and compassion.
If you would like to find out more about lung cancer treatment or any other cancer treatment with CyberKnife, call us at 305-279-2900.