Chemotherapy uses powerful medications to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is the most effective therapy for small cell lung cancer. It can help control the growth and spread of the cancer, but it cures lung cancer in only a small number of people. Chemotherapy also may be used to treat more advanced stages (stages III and IV) of non–small cell lung cancer.

Medication Choices

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is called a systemic treatment because the medicines enter your bloodstream, travel through your body, and kill cancer cells both inside and outside the lung area. Some chemotherapy drugs are taken by mouth (orally), while others are injected into a vein (intravenous, or IV).

Extensive research and clinical trials have studied the different chemotherapy medicines used to treat lung cancer. Some medicines are used for most people with lung cancer. Some are used in combination with others to be more effective. Some may be used before surgery or after surgery. Your oncologist will discuss and recommend chemotherapy treatment specific to your condition. Several of the more common chemotherapy medicines include the following:

• Carboplatin
• Cisplatin
• Docetaxel
• Erlotinib
• Etoposide
• Gemcitabine
• Irinotecan
• Paclitaxel
• Pemetrexed
• Topotecan
• Vinorelbine

Gefitinib. This medicine is used for lung cancer but recent studies show it may not improve long-term survival for many people. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises people who are using this medicine to continue their treatment and talk with their oncologist.²⁰

Bevacizumab is an intravenous (IV) drug that helps prevent formation of blood vessels that supply the tumor with nutrients and help the cancer grow and multiply. Studies suggest that bevacizumab used at the same time as some other forms of chemotherapy may help people with advanced lung cancer live longer. Bevacizumab is now approved to be used with the chemotherapy drugs carboplatin and paclitaxel for treating non-small cell lung cancer.²¹ But because bevacizumab has serious side effects, talk with your doctor about whether you should take this medicine.

What To Think About

Most chemotherapy causes some side effects. Your doctor may prescribe medicines to control nausea or vomiting.

Chemotherapy may be given before surgery (neoadjuvant) or after surgery (adjuvant therapy) to kill cancer cells.

Many clinical trials are studying the different combinations of chemotherapy medicines for the different stages of lung cancer. Discuss with your oncologist what choices are available for your lung cancer.

Radiation therapy may be given in combination with chemotherapy to treat specific tumors.

Clinical trials

If standard treatments are not effective or are causing more side effects than desired, you may want to consider being part of a clinical trial. These trials study new or different ways to treat cancer.