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Treatment

After the type and stage of your lung cancer have been determined, your medical team will develop a treatment plan. Your treatment will depend on several factors, including the type of lung cancer you have, its location, spread, and genetic makeup of the tumour. Your lung health and overall well-being also affect your treatment options. Your treatment plan is unique to you, and the goal is to achieve the best possible outcomes for your particular type and stage of lung cancer.

Cancer treatments are categorized into local and systemic:

Local treatments for lung cancer

Local treatments are directed at a specific part of the body. They are used when the cancer is limited to a particular area, like the lungs. Surgery and radiation therapy are examples of local treatments. Surgery removes part of the lung affected by the tumour. Lymph nodes on the same side of the body as the tumour are also often removed during lung cancer surgery and then checked for cancer. Radiation therapy directs radiation at the tumour to shrink or destroy it.

Systemic treatments for lung cancer

Systemic treatments affect your entire body. They are often used to treat cancer that has spread throughout the body or to reduce the chance of the cancer returning. Chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy are examples of systemic treatments.

Chemotherapy uses special drugs to kill cancer cells and prevent their further growth. These drugs affect all fast-growing cells, both cancerous and normal.
Targeted therapy is a group of drugs designed to target specific cancer cells with certain genetic changes. Because these drugs specifically attack cancer cells, they have less effect on normal cells.
Immunotherapy is a group of drugs that neutralize the defence mechanisms of cancer cells. By doing this, they help the person’s immune system to detect and kill cancer cells.

Many people with lung cancer receive more than one type of treatment. Your medical team will determine which treatment or combination of treatments is best for you.

Treating Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Surgical removal of the tumour can potentially cure early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (stages 1 and 2). Radiation and systemic chemotherapy can also be used. They can be given before surgery to shrink the tumour or after surgery to kill the remaining cancer cells and reduce the risk of cancer returning.

Treatment plans for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (stage 3) often involve a combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. But, depending on the unique characteristics of the cancer, only one or two of these treatments might be used.

The treatment plan for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (stage 4) usually includes systemic chemotherapy and radiation. In certain situations, targeted therapy and immunotherapy might also be considered.

For further information on treating NSCLC visit: your comprehensive guide to lung cancer.

Treating Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)

Chemotherapy provides the backbone in the treatment for both limited- and extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer. Since this cancer grows quickly and is usually diagnosed in the later stages when it has already spread, chemotherapy is typically more effective than localized treatments like radiation therapy and surgery.

Recent research finds that immunotherapy also plays a role in the management of this cancer. While radiation and surgery will often be part of treatment in the limited-staged setting, it will primarily play a role in symptom management in extensive-stage small cell lung cancer.

Treatment for small-cell lung cancer differs depending on the stage:

Primary treatments for limited-stage small cell lung cancer remains chemotherapy and radiation, and may include immunotherapy in certain cases.
Primary treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer includes immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and may include radiation in some cases.

For further information on treating SCLC visit: your comprehensive guide to lung cancer.