Lung Cancer Treatments
Lung cancer treatments are generally determined by the type of lung cancer and how advanced the cancer is when diagnosed. Doctors will discuss the most promising and effective lung cancer treatments with the patient to make a decision about which lung cancer treatments will work best in their specific situation.
Lung Cancer Treatments - Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Stages 1 and 2
Stage 1 lung cancer is detected early and has the highest prognosis for healing. In stage 1, the cancer is usually removed with surgery because it has not yet spread to areas outside the lungs.
Surgery is also used to treat stage 2 lung cancer. Since stage 2 lung cancer may have spread to neighboring lymph nodes or the chest wall, both chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also be used in treatment.
Lung Cancer Treatments - Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Stage 3
When lung cancer reaches stage 3, the possibility and success of surgery declines. Stage 3A lung cancer is the least severe of the two lung cancers in stage 3, because it has only spread to the lymph nodes in the chest area. Doctors usually treat stage 3A lung cancer with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Once the results of the chemo and radiation therapy are determined, surgery may be performed as a follow up to the other treatments.
Stage 3B lung cancer is more serious, because at this level the lung cancer has spread to areas just outside the lungs. Doctors usually treat stage 3B lung cancer with chemotherapy only. Radiation therapy may be also used on stage 3B lung cancer.
Lung Cancer Treatments: Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Stage 4
At this late stage, the cancer has spread away from the area around the lungs, possibly to the bones, brain and liver. With this advanced level of progression, chemotherapy is the most effective treatment option.
Because of the extent of the spreading found in stage 4 lung cancer, other treatments are sometimes used, including targeted drug therapy and participation in clinical trials.
Because stage 4 lung cancer has a low survival rate, it is also treated with supportive care. This includes pain medicine to keep the patient as comfortable as possible and sometimes hospice care to help ease the patient's suffering.
Lung Cancer Treatments - Small Cell Lung Cancer Limited Stage
The limited stage is the earliest period of small cell lung cancer, and it is usually treated with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Depending on the specific conditions found with limited stage lung cancer, surgery may also be a treatment option.
Lung Cancer Treatments - Small Cell Lung Cancer Extensive Stage
This is the late stage of small cell lung cancer, so the choices for treatment are similar to those found with stage 4 lung cancer. Extensive stage lung cancer is usually treated with chemotherapy. Patients with this type of lung cancer may also receive treatment by participating in clinical trials. Supportive care can be used here as well, to help relieve the symptoms and ease the patient's suffering.