A 7cm tumour made my lung collapse and was too near my heart to operate. But I'm now cancer-free thanks to an incredible new robot treatment By Adrian Monti Published: 16:37, 27 May 2024 | Updated: 16:37, 27 May 2024 e-mail 9 shares 3 View comments Lung cancer can now be diagnosed and treated at the same time using a new type of robotic surgery. Margaret Kirkham, 77, a retired careers officer from Chiswick, West London , was the first patient in the world to have the new two-in-one procedure, as she tells ADRIAN MONTI.
The patient Just over two years ago, I suddenly became more breathless — and would even have to stop talking mid-sentence to catch my breath. My GP examined me and sent me to A&E for tests, including a chest X-ray. I got a call the next morning to come straight back for a CT scan as it looked as if part of my lung had collapsed.
I was quite shocked. A doctor explained that a large mass had been found on my left lung, which looked like cancer. Luckily, they told me, it had not spread.
Margaret Kirkham, 77, was the first patient in the world to be treated with the 2-in-1 method I used to be a smoker but had given up 20 years before, and although I was told my cancer was probably not caused by tobacco because of its molecular structure, I still felt guilty. My tumour measured 7cm by 6cm by 6cm: I pictured it as a large solid rectangle. It couldn't be surgically removed as it was close to my heart and entwined in the main airways to the lung.
This sounded dreadfu.