Treatment of lung cancer

Your treatment for lung cancer will depend on a number of factors such as the type of lung cancer, its location and whether the cancer has spread and if so, how far. Sometimes a complete cure for lung cancer is possible through surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, or a combination of these. There are a number of treatments for lung cancer, which are described below.

Treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer

Surgery - if the cancer has not spread outside of the lung a small area or a whole lung may be removed, depending on the size, type and site of the tumour. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy - sometimes it is not possible to remove all the cancer by surgery. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are also used to shrink the tumour prior to surgery. Lung cancer can spread to the brain. For more information, please see the separate Bupa factsheets, Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy.

Drug treatments such as erlotinib (Tarceva) may help to stop the cancer growing so quickly.

Treatment for small-cell lung cancer

The best treatment is usually chemotherapy. If the cancer has not spread far, you may have chemotherapy and radiotherapy at the same time.

Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Treatment by Stage

Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

Combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the chest, with or without radiation therapy to the brain.

Combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to the chest.

Surgery followed by chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus radiation therapy to the chest, with or without radiation therapy to the brain.

Clinical trials of new chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation treatments.

Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from NCI Web site.

Executive summary by webmd site

Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

Treatment of occult non-small cell lung cancer depends on where the cancer has spread. Stage 0 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Treatment of stage 0 non-small cell lung cancer may include the following:

Surgery (wedge resection or segmental resection).

Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Surgery (wedge resection, segmental resection, or lobectomy).

Surgery followed by chemotherapy.

A clinical trial of photodynamic therapy using an endoscope.

A clinical trial of surgery followed by chemoprevention.

This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Stage II Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

A clinical trial of external radiation therapy following surgery.

Stage IIIA and Stage IIIB Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Treatment of stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer may include the following:

Surgery with or without radiation therapy.

External radiation therapy alone.

Chemotherapy combined with other treatments.

A clinical trial of new combinations of treatments.

Treatment of stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer may include the following:

External radiation therapy alone.

Chemotherapy combined with external radiation therapy.

Chemotherapy combined with external radiation therapy, followed by surgery.

A clinical trial of new ways of giving radiation therapy.

A clinical trial of new combinations of treatments.

Stage IV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Chemotherapy.

Laser therapy and/or internal radiation therapy.

A clinical trial of chemotherapy with or without biologic therapy.

Palliative care for lung cancer

Care for dealing with the symptoms of lung cancer such as pain, breathing problems and weight-loss may also be available for people with lung cancer. Drug treatments are also available to help improve other symptoms of lung cancer such as pain, coughing, nausea and vomiting, and poor appetite.