Lung cancer treatment depends on a number of factors, including the type of lung
cancer (non-small or small cell lung cancer), the size, location,
and extent of the tumor, and the general health of the lung
cancer patient. Many different treatments and combinations
of treatments may be used to control lung cancer, and/or to
improve quality of life by reducing symptoms.
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Surgery is an operation to remove the cancer. The type of lung cancer surgery
a doctor performs depends on the location of the tumor
in the lung. An operation to remove only a small part
of the lung is called a segmental or wedge resection.
When the surgeon removes an entire lobe of the lung,
the procedure is called a lobectomy. Pneumonectomy is
the removal of an entire lung. Some tumors are inoperable
(cannot be removed by surgery) because of the size or
location, and some patients cannot have surgery for other
medical reasons. |
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Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the
body. Even after cancer has been removed from the lung,
cancer cells may still be present in nearby tissue or
elsewhere in the body. Chemotherapy may be used to control
cancer growth or to relieve symptoms. Most anticancer
drugs are given by injection directly into a vein (IV)
or by means of a catheter, a thin tube that is placed
into a large vein and remains there as long as it is
needed. Some anticancer drugs are given in the form of
a pill. |
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Radiation Therapy, also called radiotherapy, involves the use of high-energy
rays to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is directed
to a limited area and affects the cancer cells only in
that area. Radiation therapy may be used before surgery
to shrink a tumor, or after surgery to destroy any cancer
cells that remain in the treated area. Doctors also use
radiation therapy, often combined with chemotherapy,
as primary treatment instead of surgery. Radiation therapy
may also be used to relieve symptoms such as shortness
of breath. Radiation for the treatment of lung cancer
most often comes from a machine (external radiation).
The radiation can also come from an implant (a small
container of radioactive material) placed directly into
or near the tumor (internal radiation). |
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Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a type of laser therapy, involves the use of a special
chemical that is injected into the bloodstream and absorbed
by cells all over the body. The chemical rapidly leaves
normal cells but remains in cancer cells for a longer
time. A laser light aimed at the cancer activates the
chemical, which then kills the cancer cells that have
absorbed it. Photodynamic therapy may be used to reduce
symptoms of lung cancer -- for example, to control bleeding
or to relieve breathing problems due to blocked airways
when the cancer cannot be removed through surgery. Photodynamic
therapy may also be used to treat very small tumors in
patients for whom the usual treatments for lung cancer
are not appropriate. |
