Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Treatment by Stage
Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer
Treatment of limited-stage small cell lung cancer may include the following:
Major drug companies continually research and develop new medications and treatments, which must be shown to be safe and effective before doctors can prescribe them to patients. Through lung cancer clinical trials, researchers test the effects of new drugs on a group of volunteers with lung cancer. Following a strict protocol and using carefully controlled conditions, researchers evaluate the investigational drugs under development and measure the ability of the new drug to treat lung cancer,...
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- Combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the chest, with or without radiation therapy to the brain.
- Combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to the brain in patients with complete response.
- Combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to the chest.
- Surgery followed by chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus radiation therapy to the chest, with or without radiation therapy to the brain.
- Clinical trials of new chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation treatments.
This summary refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from NCI Web site.
Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer
Treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer may include the following:
- Chemotherapy.
- Combination chemotherapy.
- Combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to the brain for patients with complete response.
- Radiation therapy to the brain, spine, bone, or other parts of the body where the cancer has spread, as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.
- Clinical trials of new chemotherapy treatments.
This summary refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.
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