The doctor will decide which treatment you will receive based on factors such as the type of lung cancer, the size, location and extent of the tumor (whether or not it has spread), and your general health. There are many treatments, which may be used alone or in combination. These include:
SURGERY may cure lung cancer. It is used in limited stages of the disease. The type of surgery depends on where the tumor is located in the lung. Some tumors cannot be removed because of their size or location.
RADIATION THERAPY is a form of high energy X-ray that kills cancer cells. It is used:
- In combination with chemotherapy and sometimes with surgery.
- To offer relief from pain or blockage of the airways.
CHEMOTHERAPY is the use of drugs that are effective against cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be injected directly into a vein or given through a catheter, which is a thin tube that is placed into a large vein and kept there until it is no longer needed. Some chemotherapy drugs are taken by pill. Chemotherapy may be used:
- In conjunction with surgery.
- In more advanced stages of the disease to relieve symptoms.
- In all stages of small cell cancer.
