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Lung Cncer Treatment
The most commonly used treatments for lung cancer are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The exact treatment a lung cancer patient receives will depend on several factors. These include the type of cancer, the stage or extent to which it has spread at the time of diagnosis, and the overall health of the patient.
Non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for about 80 percent of lung cancer cases, is treated depending on its stage at diagnosis. Lung surgery is the mainstay of treatment for the early stages of lung cancer. Cancerous tissue, along with a margin of healthy tissue, is removed. Patients who are unable to have surgery may be treated with radiotherapy. While cure rates for early lung cancer are good, it is rarely detected in its early stages. As non-small cell cancer spreads within the chest, it is treated with some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Once cancer has spread to other parts of the body, chemotherapy and radiotherapy replace surgery as the main treatment options. A number of drugs are available, and many more are being tested in clinical trials. Radiotherapy is palliative, and while it may ease symptoms such as pain and cough, it will not stop cancer growth. If the cancer obstructs a major airway, using a laser, freezing the tumor or keeping the airway open with a stent or tube may remove the obstruction.
Doctors will review the particular treatment recommended for your type of cancer, but this overview can help you understand your options and ask better questions as your doctor reviews your treatment plan.
Surgical Options
For Stage 0 and Stage 1 lung non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), often surgical resection (removal) of tumors may be in order. Non-small cell cancers tend to form more distinct tumors with distinct margins. The level of surgery depends on the size and number of the tumors. The different levels of surgery as outlined by the Mayo Clinic Oncology Department include: Mediastinoscopy, Thoracoscopy, Wedge resection, Lobectomy, Pneumonectomy, and Sleeve resection.
Unfortunately, for NSCLC past Stage 1 and small cell carcinomas, surgical options are generally not effective. However, there are several other available and effective lung cancer treatments.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapies are varied and provide a broad spectrum of potential treatments. These therapies may be used alone or in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy. A board-certified radiation oncology specialist should be the one to draft your radiation treatment plan. That plan may include one or more of the available treatments, including: Brachytherapy, Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) or Radiofrequency ablation (RF ablation).
Chemotherapy
The most widely effective of the lung cancer treatments is chemotherapy. The challenge of late stage NSCLC and all forms of small cell cancer is that tracking down every cancer cell by physical means, whether surgically or through application of radiation is nearly impossible. The advantage of chemotherapy is that it uses the same mode of transportation that the cancer itself uses: the blood and the lymphatic system.
Photodynamic Therapy
Most effective on non-small cell cancers restricted to the surface of the airways, photodynamic therapy is the newest of the lung cancer treatments. It is a two-stage treatment, first receiving medication to photo-sensitize the cells to light damage; the second phase is to use a coherent light or laser to bathe the internal surfaces of the lungs in an effort to kill the newly sensitized cancer cells. This is a minimally invasive treatment that is enjoying strong early results since approval.
Lung Cncer Treatment
The most commonly used treatments for lung cancer are surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. The exact treatment a lung cancer patient receives will depend on several factors. These include the type of cancer, the stage or extent to which it has spread at the time of diagnosis, and the overall health of the patient.
Non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for about 80 percent of lung cancer cases, is treated depending on its stage at diagnosis. Lung surgery is the mainstay of treatment for the early stages of lung cancer. Cancerous tissue, along with a margin of healthy tissue, is removed. Patients who are unable to have surgery may be treated with radiotherapy. While cure rates for early lung cancer are good, it is rarely detected in its early stages. As non-small cell cancer spreads within the chest, it is treated with some combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Once cancer has spread to other parts of the body, chemotherapy and radiotherapy replace surgery as the main treatment options. A number of drugs are available, and many more are being tested in clinical trials. Radiotherapy is palliative, and while it may ease symptoms such as pain and cough, it will not stop cancer growth. If the cancer obstructs a major airway, using a laser, freezing the tumor or keeping the airway open with a stent or tube may remove the obstruction.
Doctors will review the particular treatment recommended for your type of cancer, but this overview can help you understand your options and ask better questions as your doctor reviews your treatment plan.
Surgical Options
For Stage 0 and Stage 1 lung non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), often surgical resection (removal) of tumors may be in order. Non-small cell cancers tend to form more distinct tumors with distinct margins. The level of surgery depends on the size and number of the tumors. The different levels of surgery as outlined by the Mayo Clinic Oncology Department include: Mediastinoscopy, Thoracoscopy, Wedge resection, Lobectomy, Pneumonectomy, and Sleeve resection.
Unfortunately, for NSCLC past Stage 1 and small cell carcinomas, surgical options are generally not effective. However, there are several other available and effective lung cancer treatments.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapies are varied and provide a broad spectrum of potential treatments. These therapies may be used alone or in combination with surgery and/or chemotherapy. A board-certified radiation oncology specialist should be the one to draft your radiation treatment plan. That plan may include one or more of the available treatments, including: Brachytherapy, Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) or Radiofrequency ablation (RF ablation).
Chemotherapy
The most widely effective of the lung cancer treatments is chemotherapy. The challenge of late stage NSCLC and all forms of small cell cancer is that tracking down every cancer cell by physical means, whether surgically or through application of radiation is nearly impossible. The advantage of chemotherapy is that it uses the same mode of transportation that the cancer itself uses: the blood and the lymphatic system.
Photodynamic Therapy
Most effective on non-small cell cancers restricted to the surface of the airways, photodynamic therapy is the newest of the lung cancer treatments. It is a two-stage treatment, first receiving medication to photo-sensitize the cells to light damage; the second phase is to use a coherent light or laser to bathe the internal surfaces of the lungs in an effort to kill the newly sensitized cancer cells. This is a minimally invasive treatment that is enjoying strong early results since approval.