Lung Cancer Treatment Overview

Treating Lung Cancer

Lung cancer treatment varies greatly depending on stage, type of lung cancer, age, and general health of the patient. The more advanced the lung cancer, the more limited the patient and physician are in treatment choices. Many times, lung cancer patients are treated with more than one method, such as surgery and chemotherapy.

Lung Cancer Treatment Options

Surgery
Surgery is performed more often in cases of non-small cell lung cancer. It is also usually limited to early stages of lung cancer that has not spread beyond the lung. In cases of small cell lung cancer, surgery may be performed in conjunction with another treatment method, like chemotherapy or radiation.

Types of Surgery Used to Treat Lung Cancer

• Wedge Resection: A small section of the lung is removed. The tumor is removed along with a small amount of healthy tissue surrounding it.
  
  
• Lobectomy: A lobectomy is the surgical removal of a whole part of the lung.
  
  
• Pneumonectomy: A pneumonectomy is the surgical removal of the entire lung.
  
  
• Sleeve Resection: A sleeve resection is removal of part of the bronchus.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is the use of drugs that either kill cancer cells or preventing the cells from dividing. Chemotherapy can be given in a variety of ways, with IV infusion and pill being more common. The type of chemotherapy given depends on the stage and type of lung cancer.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is the use of certain types of energy, radiation is used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. This energy can be waves or particles like protons, electrons, x-rays and gamma rays.

Radiation can be given internally or externally. The type of radiation given depends on the stage and type of lung cancer.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy uses a laser bean to kill cancer cells. It is used in cases of non-small cell lung cancer.




_{Reference: National Cancer Institute: Small Cell Cancer PDQ, Non-Small Cell Cancer PDQ}