Lobectomy means surgical excision of a lobe. This may refer to a lobe of the lung, a lobe of the thyroid, or a lobe of the brain. A lobectomy of the lung is performed in early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients. It is not performed on patients that have lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Tumor size, type, and location are major factors as to whether a lobectomy is performed. Such a lobectomy is performed normally during a thoracotomy. An incision is made in the lateral aspect of the chest, and ribs may be removed or spread apart to allow the surgeon access to the lung ...