Lung Cancer Health Center
Lung Cancer - Treatment Overview
Treatment for lung cancer depends on the stage of your cancer and may include surgery to remove the cancer, radiation therapy, or medications (chemotherapy). Treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC) may be different.
Treatment for lung cancer may include one or more of the following therapies:
- Surgery (taking out the cancer). Surgery may involve removing the cancer (wedge resection), removing the affected lobe of lung (lobectomy), or removing the entire lung (pneumonectomy).
- Radiation therapy (using high-dose X-rays to kill cancer cells). Radiation therapy is often used in combination with surgery or chemotherapy or both.
- Chemotherapy (using medicines to kill cancer cells). Chemotherapy can help control the growth and spread of the cancer, but it is a cure in only a small number of people.
- Targeted therapy. Targeted therapies use medicines or antibodies to block growth factors that allow some cancers to grow. At this time, targeted therapies are used for advanced stages of lung cancer.
If you smoke and have lung cancer, quitting smoking will make your treatment more effective and may help you live longer. Smoking delays healing after surgery, so you may have a better recovery from lung cancer surgery if you have quit smoking. People with early-stage lung cancer who continue to smoke during radiation therapy have been shown to have shorter survival times that those who do not smoke.7 It may also make chemotherapy less effective. The nicotine in tobacco seems to help the cancer cells and their blood supply multiply while also protecting the cancer cells from destruction.8 For information and help quitting smoking, see the topic Quitting Smoking.
Initial treatment
The kind of treatment and the long-term outcome of lung cancer depends on the type and stage of the cancer. Your age, overall health, and quality of life must also be considered. Many people with lung cancer are diagnosed with the disease when the cancer is already in an advanced stage. Fewer lung cancers are diagnosed in the early stages when lung cancer is likely to be cured by surgery.
Non-small cell lung cancer grows and spreads more slowly. Lung surgery (thoracotomy) is usually the standard treatment for non-small cell stage I to stage IIIA cancers. Treatment for non-small cell lung cancer also includes:
- Checking for biomarkers, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and K-RAS. This can help your doctor choose the treatment that will work best for you.
- Treatment with a combination of the three therapies.
- Lung surgery (thoracotomy) takes out the cancer.
- Radiation therapy sometimes follows surgery for stages IIA, IIB, and IIIA (with lymph node involvement) and may reduce the risk of cancer returning in the chest.
- Chemotherapy may be used to treat more advanced stages (stages III and IV). Chemotherapy may also be used after surgery for early stages such as IB, IIA, IIB, and IIIA to reduce the risk of cancer returning.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
