 Overview
Coping
Lung cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death among both men and women, accounting for 28 percent of all cancer deaths in the United States.
There are two major types of lung cancer: non-small cell and small cell. They each affect different types of cells in the lung and grow and spread in a different ways, so doctors treat them differently.
Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
For most patients with non-small cell lung cancer, current treatments do not cure the cancer. If lung cancer is found, participation in one of the many clinical trials being done to improve treatment should be considered. Clinical trials are taking place in most parts of the country for patients with all stages of non-small cell lung cancer. Information about ongoing clinical trials can be found at www.cancer.gov.
The treatment options and prognosis depend on the stage of the cancer (whether it is in the lung only or has spread to other places in the body), tumor size, the type of lung cancer, whether there are symptoms, and the patient's general health.
Surgery
- Wedge resection: Surgery to remove only a small part of the lung.
- Lobectomy: Surgery to remove a whole lobe (section) of the lung.
- Pneumonectomy: Surgery to remove one whole lung.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by mouth, or it may be put into the body by inserting a needle into a vein or muscle. Either type of chemotherapy is called systemic treatment because the drugs enter the bloodstream, travel through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body.
Radiation Therapy is the use of x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy may use external radiation (using a machine outside the body) or internal radiation. Internal radiation involves putting radioisotopes (materials that produce radiation) through thin plastic tubes into the area where cancer cells are found. Radiation may be used in addition to surgery, chemotherapy, or both. Non-small cell lung cancer is treated with internal radiation.
Non-small Lung Cancer
Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer. Risk factors for small cell lung cancer include:
- Smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes now or in the past.
- Being exposed to second hand smoke.
- Being exposed to asbestos, radon, coal tar, or benzene.
Surgery may be used if the cancer is found in one lung and in nearby lymph nodes only. Because this type of lung cancer is usually found in both lungs, surgery alone is not often used. Occasionally, surgery may be used to help determine the patient's exact type of lung cancer. During surgery, the doctor will also remove lymph nodes to see if they contain cancer. Laser therapy (the use of an intensely powerful beam of light to kill cancer cells) may be used.
Even if the doctor removes all the cancer that can be seen at the time of the operation, some patients may be offered chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left.
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be taken by mouth, or it may be put into the body by inserting a needle into a vein or muscle. Either type of chemotherapy is called systemic treatment because the drugs enter the bloodstream, travel through the body, and can kill cancer cells throughout the body.
Radiation therapy is the use of x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation therapy may use external radiation (using a machine outside the body) or internal radiation. Internal radiation involves putting radioisotopes (materials that produce radiation) through thin plastic tubes into the area where cancer cells are found. Small cell lung cancer is treated with internal and external-beam radiation. Prophylactic cranial irradiation (radiation therapy to the brain to reduce the risk that cancer will spread to the brain) may also be given.
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Chemotherapy and You
Information about what to expect during chemotherapy and what patients can do to take care of themselves during and after treatment.
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Radiation Therapy and You
Information about what to expect during radiation therapy, including the general effects of treatment and how to deal with specific side effects.
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