More than ever, there are more cancer treatments than just chemotherapy
Working with your thoracic oncologist, a personalized approach can be created based on a few essential factors about your lung cancer.
How Lung Cancer is Treated
The two major types of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), have different treatment pathways. Using genetic information about the type of tumor and stage of the disease allows healthcare teams to create personalized cancer treatments for lung cancer patients.
Treatments may be used as standalone measures, and some may be used as helper treatments in combination with others. Clinical Trials bridge the gap between research and treatment by testing new approaches to treatment.
Your team of lung cancer physicians may include thoracic surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, radiologists, and pathologists. Treatments that are individualized to work with a patient’s specific lung cancer may help them avoid treatments that are unlikely to work. Individualized treatments also help to decrease the side effects of treatment.
Treatments
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Surgery
Surgery might be an option for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It typically provides the best chance to cure the disease at this stage. -
Radiation
Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays (similar to X-rays) to destroy cancer cells. The type of radiation therapy most often used to treat SCLC is called external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Techniques include: Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT), Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), and Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). -
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses pills, medicines injected in your veins, or both to shrink or kill cancers. This treatment may be used alone or with radiation before or after surgery. Prepare for chemotherapy by learning what to expect. -
Combination Therapy
Combination therapy, including adjuvant and neoadjuvant approaches, has become a cornerstone in lung cancer management, offering significant benefits before, during, and after primary treatment. -
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer The immune system within our bodies is very powerful. But, cancer cells can hide from the immune system. Recently, scientists have found ways to use the body’s own immune response to fight the cancer. -
Targeted Therapies
Targeted therapies are a type of personalized medicine that specifically target genetic biomarkers (indicators of lung cancer presence ) in cancer cells. -
Small Cell Lung Cancer
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a rare and aggressive form of lung cancer. Several factors make it challenging to treat with long-term success.
