Nowadays, more and more people focus on their health and get regular checkups. When a CT scan finds one or more nodules in the lungs, people want to know if they’re benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous) and what steps to take next.

Here’s a general overview of lung nodules and their treatment.

What is a lung nodule?

A lung nodule is a well-defined spot (opacity) in the lung seen on a chest scan. It looks like a single, round area and is usually smaller than 3 cm. Doctors often call this a “solitary lung nodule.” If a nodule is larger than 3 cm, they call it a mass. A small lung nodule is usually less than 1 cm in diameter and found on a thin layer CT scan of the chest.

Does a lung nodule mean cancer?

Some people mistakenly think many lung nodules are cancerous. In fact, many lung conditions can cause nodules, including both non-cancerous and cancerous ones. Most nodules are non-cancerous and don’t need treatment. They might come from inflammation, tuberculosis, fungal infections, or non-cancerous tumors. Only a small number are due to primary or spread (metastatic) lung cancer. Even so, you should always have new or growing nodules checked by a doctor. They can figure out the cause and the best way to manage it.

What should I do after a lung nodule is found?

When a lung nodule is found, doctors look at several factors: its size and shape, plus your smoking history and family history of cancer. Large studies show that most lung nodules are NOT cancerous—only about 5% turn out to be cancer. This means if a nodule is found by chance during a checkup, you should see a specialist like a pulmonologist (lung doctor) or thoracic surgeon. They will fully assess the nodule using CT scans, your symptoms, and past health history. Then, they will recommend follow-up monitoring or surgery if needed.

Can lung cancer be cured with surgery?

When surgery comes up, people often worry: Can surgery cure lung cancer? Is the surgery very invasive? Will it hurt a lot?

First, surgery is the top treatment for lung cancer—and it’s the only one that can potentially cure the disease completely. Studies show that the 5-year survival rate for stage I lung cancer is over 73%, and for stage IA, it’s over 95%. (Note: 5-year survival rate means the chance of living more than 5 years after diagnosis, not just 5 years.)

Second, most early-stage lung cancers can be removed with thoracoscopic surgery—a minimally invasive procedure. Compared to traditional open-chest surgery, this method causes less trauma, lets you recover faster, lowers the risk of complications, and hurts less. Patients can get out of bed the day after surgery and leave the hospital in about a week.

People with localized mid-to-late stage lung cancer can also benefit from surgery combined with other treatments (a multidisciplinary approach).

In short, with early detection, diagnosis, and treatment, most cases of early-stage lung cancer can be cured.