Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world, making up approximately 25 percent of all cancer deaths. However, it can be treated in several ways if timely detected and treated with treatment therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, surgery, radiation therapy, or a combinat

Lung Cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the world, making up approximately 25 percent of all cancer deaths. However, it can be treated in several ways if timely detected and treated with treatment therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, surgery, radiation therapy, or a combination of these treatments.

About the Treatment 1. What is the procedure? 

The therapy for lung cancer varies differently, depending on the type of lung cancer that you have been diagnosed with; either non-small cell lung cancer or small cell lung cancer.

Notably, based on the stage of your lung cancer, different types of doctors would treat you; such as a medical oncologist (treat cancer with immunotherapy or chemotherapy), a radiation oncologist, (treat cancer with radiation therapy), a thoracic surgeon (treat cancer with surgery) or a pulmonologist (treat with medications).

The choice of treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is largely dependent on the stage of cancer, the lung function of an individual, and the general health. Treatments generally include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, radiofrequency ablation, targeted drug therapy, immunotherapy, and palliative procedures.  

On the other hand, if you have small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and you are well enough, you would be advised for chemotherapy. In case you have limited-stage disorder (like stage I or stage II),  the treatment choices can also be radiation therapy and, occasionally, surgery while people with stage III or IV disease are generally treated with chemotherapy with or without immunotherapy.

2. Signs and symptoms of lung cancer

Early stages of lung cancer, irrespective of the two main types, are usually not detected. However as cancer progresses with time, the following signs and symptoms are commonly observed

1. A persistent cough that does not get cured, worsens after 3 to 4 weeks and blood being spit

2. Pain while coughing or breathing

3. Recurrent infections in the chest

4. Breathlessness

5. Constant feeling of lack of energy or tiredness

6. Swallowing food or liquids becomes difficult

7. Finger clubbing

8. Hoarseness in voice

9. Neck or face swelling

10. Back pain or pain in the hips

11. Headaches or dizziness or seizures

12. Jaundice

13. Loss of weight that is all of a sudden

 3. How is it diagnosed?

Lung cancer may be diagnosed with the following tests;

• X-Ray of the chest

• CT-Scan of the chest

• CT-guided lung biopsy

• Endobronchial ultrasound

• Bronchoscopy

• Thoracoscopy

• Mediastinoscopy

• Cytology of the sputum

• Pleural tap

4.    What are the treatment options available?

The treatment options for small cell lung cancer or non-small cell lung cancer are as follows;

1. Chemotherapy,

2. Radiation therapy,

3. Surgery,

4. Radiofrequency ablation,

5. Targeted drug therapy,

6. Immunotherapy

7. Palliative procedures

5.   What are the different stages involved?

How far cancer has spread or what is the best treatment for lung cancer is determined by the stages of cancer i.e.; when diagnosed early, lung cancer treatment can be highly successful. Below are the stages of both the types of lung cancer;

Stages of Non-small cell lung cancer

Stage 1: Cancer at this stage has not spread outside the lungs but is found in the lungs.

Stage 2: Cancer at this stage has spread to the nearby lymph nodes and is also found in the lungs.

Stage 3: Cancer at this stage is found in the middle region of the chest, lungs, and lymph nodes.

Stage 3A: Cancer at this stage has spread to the same side of the chest area where it had first started growing and is also found in the lymph nodes.

Stage 3B: The cancer is detected in the lymph nodes and has also spread to the opposite side of the chest or the collarbone overhead to the lymph nodes.

Stage 4: At this stage, cancer has spread to both the lungs, the area around them, and also to the organs nearby.

Stages of small cell lung cancer

Limited stage: The spread of cancer will be noted in just one of the lungs. Moreover, cancer at this stage will also spread to the surrounding lymph nodes on the same side of the chest.

Extensive stage: Cancer has spread completely to either the lungs or the lymph nodes on the opposite side of the chest at this point. It has also spread to the fluid surrounding the lungs or to the adjacent bone marrow and/or organs.