Lung Cancer Treatment

Treatment decisions in lung cancer depend on whether SCLC or NSCLC is present or not. Treatment also depends on the stage of the tumor. In NSCLC, the patient's performance status is a major determinant of the possibility of benefit from treatment. The most commonly used treatments for lung cancer include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies.

The cancer deaths that most people die in the world include lung cancer. Lung cancer can happen in both men and women, but usually, men are suffering from it more than women. According to research, more people die every day from lung cancer than people who suffer from breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer every year. One of the main causes of lung cancer is smoking and men smoke more than women, hence they have a higher risk. Let us tell you why the treatment of lung cancer is difficult.

Treatment options for lung cancer:

Surgery-

If the tests confirm the NSCLC, the phase is assessed, which shows that the disease is local and is sensitive to the operation or it has spread to such point where it can not be cured by the surgery. CT scans and positron emission tomography is used for this determination. If the mediastinum lymph node is suspected to be involved, using mediastinoscopy helps in detecting phase by taking samples of nodes. By testing blood tests and lung function, it is ascertained whether a person is adequately able to perform surgery. 

Chemotherapy-

Chemotherapy is often used to destroy any cancer cells remaining in the body after surgery. It can be used even before surgery to shrink cancer and remove it easily. In some cases, chemotherapy can be used to reduce the pain and other symptoms of cancer in extreme condition.

Radiation Therapy-

Radiation therapy can be used to kill any cancer cells that survive after surgery. It can also be used as the first treatment for lung cancer cases which can not be removed from surgery.

Targeted Therapy-

Targeted drug remedies are new treatments for cancer, which target specific abnormalities in cancer cells. Targeted prescription drugs are often used in conjunction with chemotherapy drugs, for example, crizotinib (Crizotinib - like Crizalk).

Palliative care-

Patients with lung cancer often experience symptoms of cancer as well as side effects of treatment. Supportive care, also known as palliative care, is a special area of ​​treatment, in which efforts are made to reduce your symptoms. Your doctor may suggest that you meet a palliative care team immediately after your diagnosis so that you can stay comfortable during and after your cancer treatment.