How long does it take for a person who had lung cancer to recover from having 1/2 of their lung removed?

My friend had the top and part of the middle right lung removed on Jan 31, they are home from the hospital but still taking pain medication every 4 hours and still has shortness or breath. Can the cancer come back?

Cancer can reoccur . Its called a relapse. Right now she is remission . She is at higher risks of other types of cancer too. To answer your question on how long it will take for her to recover from the surgery , it can take anywhere from 6 months to 2 years to fully recover . She will still have shortness of breath , her body is adjusting to the change.
Good Luck to her and God Bless!

she's dealing with something pretty nasty -- my daughter went
through the same thing. She's in touch with a support group
on the internet that has really help. get in touch and I'll get
the address for you.
Shortness of breath is expected after pneunectomy.However,this patient needs to consult a radiation oncologist/medical oncologist along with all operative details and pathology reports.The reason for continous pain medication needs evaluation
Professional experience