If i had 1/3 of a lung removed for lung cancer, what are the chances of me surviving without radiation?

Depends, margin/node: Post-operative radiotherapy is generally recommended if there is a positive surgical margin or if there is involvement of lymph nodes in the mediastinum. The survival advantage of this radiotherapy is uncertain. However, there clearly is a reduced chance of the cancer recurring in the chest area which will be more important as chemotherapy becomes more effective in decreasing distant metastases.

Depends, margin/node: If all the tumor is removed (clear margin) and there is no lymph node involvement the odds are very good. This means early stage lung cancer. The type ( histology) of cancer is important as well. But in general early stage non-small cell lung cancer is very curable with surgery alone. An alternative is radiosurgery or sbrt(radiation) that can cure early stage lung cancer without surgery.

Pretty good: If positive lymph nodes are found during surgery, usually chemotherapy is recommended. Radiation after surgery is not as common and certainly quite unusual without combining it with chemotherapy. So, chances are you will not need radiation after surgery, but you may need chemotherapy.

Post op lung: If you had a lobectomy, the indications for radiotherapy are positive mediastinal nodes. Evidence points to chemotherapy being quite important. Radiotherapy might add 5-10% survival to those properly selected and treated. It detracts from survival if nodes are negative. And problably doesn't help those with hilar nodes.

Post op radiation: That can't really be answered without more information. The outcome depends on the margins of resection, if they are negaticve or positive, and whether or not there was lymph node involvement and where that involvement was, if it was hilar only or were there mediastinal nodes involved. Hope this helps some.

Radiation only: Radiation is only used after surgery for lung cancer if tumor is left behind in tissues other than lymph nodes, meaning the surgery did not remove all of the tumor. For stage iiia lung cancer, often patients receive chemotherapy and radiation before surgery.