Lung cancer, also known as lung carcinoma, refers to the uncontrolled growth of mutated cells within one or both the lungs. These cells do not function normally and also hamper the healthy cells within the body. Smokers fall into the highest risk bracket for developing lung cancer. Its symptoms include chest pain, a hoarse voice, shortness of breath, coughing up blood, sudden and inexplicable weight loss, and a chronic headache. If these symptoms persist for long in conjunction with each other, it is wise to go for a lung cancer screening.
The two main types of lung cancer are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Their diagnosis is done through CT scan, X-Ray imaging, sputum analysis, and biopsy. Post the test results, the doctor determines the stage of lung cancer to advise the appropriate treatment. The following are the latest and the most common lung cancer treatments available today.
Surgery
In a surgery, the doctor may either remove a portion of the lung containing the tumor or the entire lung. Lung surgery is usually performed only if cancer is restricted to the lungs, which is the case in stages I and II of lung cancer. Post-surgery, the patient may still have to undergo chemotherapy to make sure there are no more malignant cells left in the body. The doctor may also extract lymph nodes from the chest region for testing.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a routine done after a surgery for lung cancer. The drugs used in chemotherapy may be injected through the veins or taken orally. Chemotherapy is often the only method of lung cancer treatment in cases of advanced lung cancer—stage III and stage IV cancer—where surgery cannot be performed. In these cases, the drugs used for chemotherapy may also double up as painkillers. In some cases, cancer may return after chemotherapy. In such scenarios, the patient is put on what is known as second-line chemotherapy.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses radiation beams to target and kill malignant cells in the body. This treatment is also known as stereotactic body radiotherapy. Radiation is employed when a patient cannot undergo surgery due to reasons such as having a heart condition or because cancer has spread too close to the heart. This method of treatment is also employed in stage III and stage IV cancer when surgery is not a feasible option. The treatment is painless and patients can even stay plugged in and listen to their favorite music to help them relax while the treatment is on.
Targeted therapy
Targeted drug therapy for cancer works by attacking specific proteins within cancer cells to prevent these cells from multiplying. Moreover, certain types of target therapy also cut off the supply of blood and nutrients to cancer cells. Targeted lung cancer treatment is a fast-growing option to treat lung cancer. Its main benefit is that it specifically targets the cancer cells and leaves healthy cells unaffected as opposed to traditional chemotherapy and surgery. The results of targeted cancer treatment may vary from person to person. In other words, what treatment option may work for one patient may not work for another.
Immunotherapy
This method of treatment activates the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Normally, the immune system is not always able to attack cancer cells as these malignant cells have proteins that blind the immune system’s response to them. Moreover, the fast-growing nature of cancer cells makes it tough for the immune system to successfully pick and destroy all of them. In immunotherapy, monoclonal antibodies are administered to help the immune system target and destroy all malignant cells with great accuracy. Certain vaccines are also administered as part of immunotherapy.
