Lung Cancer Health Center

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy X-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external radiation therapy) or from putting materials that produce radiation (radioisotopes) through thin plastic tubes into the area where the cancer cells are found (internal radiation therapy, also called brachytherapy). Radiation therapy is often used in combination with surgery or chemotherapy or both.

People who cannot have surgery may have stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). In SBRT, high doses of radiation therapy are targeted to the cancer. One form of SBRT that may be used to treat tumors that have spread to the brain is called gamma knife radiosurgery. This is a radiation treatment (rather than surgery) that uses a machine to target radiation beams from many different angles all focused on the tumor area.

Radiofrequency ablation

Radiofrequency ablation uses a small needle inserted through the skin and into the tumor. Energy passes through the needle into the tumor. This heats and kills cancer cells. It also closes up the little blood vessels in the area so there is less bleeding.

Laser therapy

Laser therapy uses a narrow beam of very intense light to destroy cancer cells. Laser therapy usually is used as a palliative care to remove tumors that block the airway. Laser therapy does not cure lung cancer.

Photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses laser light and a special light-activated substance (Photofrin) to kill cancer cells. It is approved for palliative treatment to destroy tumors that block the airway but it does not cure the lung cancer. Few lung cancers are treated with this therapy. Surgery is still the standard treatment for early-stage lung cancer.

In clinical trials, PDT appears to help relieve coughing, shortness of breath, and coughing up bloody mucus. Additional research is being done.

Cryosurgery

Cryosurgery (also called cryoablation) freezes the tumor and kills it. Cryosurgery for lung cancer is experimental and is being used only in certain clinical trials.

Cautery

Cautery is used to burn (cauterize) and remove tumors that block the airway.

What to think about

Radiation may cause side effects.

Radiation therapy may be used to prevent small cell lung cancer from growing in your brain. This is called prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI).

Sometimes radiation therapy may be given during your surgery. In this procedure, radiation is focused directly on the tumor during surgery and affects as little healthy tissue as possible.

Radiation therapy also may be used as palliative care to:

• Shrink tumors that make it hard for you to swallow.
• Reduce tumors that block your airway and make it hard for you to breathe.
• Relieve pain from cancer that has spread to your bones or spinal cord.

Other Treatment Choices

Oxygen therapy