Treatments for Lung Cancer

Treatments for lung cancer may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and photodynamic therapy. When deciding among the treatments for lung cancer, there are several factors to consider, such as the type of lung cancer; the size, extent, and location of the tumor; and the overall health of the patient. Follow-up care after treatments usually includes regular checkups involving physical exams, chest x-rays, and lab tests.

 

Treatments for Lung Cancer: An Overview

Treatments for lung cancer depend on a number of factors, including:
 
  • The type of lung cancer (non-small or small cell lung cancer)
  • The size, location, and extent of the tumor
  • The general health of the patient.
     
Many different treatments and combinations of treatments for lung cancer may be used to control the disease, and/or to improve quality of life by reducing lung cancer symptoms.
 

Specific Treatments for Lung Cancer

Treatments for lung cancer include:
 
Surgery
Lung cancer surgery is an operation to remove the cancer. The type of surgery a doctor performs for treatments for lung cancer depends on the location of the tumor in the lung. Surgical treatments for lung cancer include the following:
 
  • Segmental or wedge resection (an operation to remove only a small part of the lung)
  • Lobectomy (a procedure in which the surgeon removes an entire lobe of the lung)
  • Pneumonectomy (the removal of an entire lung).
 
Some tumors are inoperable (cannot be removed by surgery) because of the size or location, and some patients simply cannot have surgery for other medical reasons.
(Treatments for Lung Cancer Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD