Lung cancers
are either classified as small cell lung cancers or non-small cell lung cancers. Non-small cell lung cancers are responsible for the vast majority of lung cancer diagnoses. According to the American Cancer Society, nine out of 10 cases of lung cancer are caused by non-small cell cancer. Types of non-small cell lung cancer include squamous cell carcinomas (25 to 30 percent of all non-small cell lung cancers), adenocarcinomas (40 percent) and undifferentiated large cell carcinomas (10 to 15 percent). Treatment methods vary depending on how advanced the cancer is and the patient's general health.
Treatment
Treatments for non-small cell lung cancer include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and symptom management, also called palliative care. The treatment plan depends upon the stage of the cancer, as determined by the AJCC system pioneered by the American Joint Committee on Cancer. The stage of the cancer is determined by the size of the tumor, or T factor; the presence of lymph node involvement, or N factor; and the presence or absence of metastases, or M factor.
Surgery
The American Cancer Society states that surgery is the best treatment option for nearly all early stage lung cancers. Surgery may involve a complete removal of the lung (a pneumonectomy), the removal of one lobe or section (a lobectomy) or the removal of a portion of a lobe (a segmentectomy). Doctors generally extract lymph nodes during surgical procedures to determine whether the cancer has begun to spread and to more accurately stage the cancer. When the surgical procedure is able to remove the entire cancer, the prognosis for recovery from non-small cell lung cancer is high, and most patients are able to resume normal activities within a few weeks, even in the case of a complete lung removal.
Radiation therapy
Radiation is an option for patients who are unable to undergo surgery, and a form of therapy administered in conjunction with surgery as well. Radiation administered after the surgery may be administered alone, or in conjunction with chemotherapy, to kill any remaining cancer cells. Finally, radiation can be used to treat symptoms in patients whose cancers have spread, so it can be considered a form of palliative care.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy can be used alone or in conjunction with surgery and/or radiation. Chemotherapy is sometimes administered prior to surgery, in a treatment called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This is designed to shrink the tumor so that a less invasive surgical procedure can be performed and/or make it possible to remove the entire cancer by removing the lung in cases where the cancer is more advanced. Chemotherapy may also be performed after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) in conjunction with radiation to kill lingering cancer cells. Finally, in patients with advanced or metastatic cancer, chemotherapy can be used to slow the growth or spread of the cancer to minimize symptoms and maximize longevity.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation is a procedure that, as of 2009, is still considered experimental by the American Cancer Society. It is an alternative to surgery for patients with small tumors close to the lung's outer edge. The procedure involves the use of radio waves to heat the tumor and destroy cancer cells, allowing patients to avoid removal of part or all of their lung.
Tags: cell lung, lung cancer, cell lung cancers, conjunction with, lung cancers, non-small cell lung
