Diagnosing and treating lung cancer

A person’s lung cancer diagnosis depends on the type of lung cancer present. The two main types of lung cancer are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is more common than small cell lung cancer. These categories refer to what the cancer cells look like under a microscope.

The extent of disease is referred to as the stage. Information about how big a cancer is or how far it has spread is often used to determine the stage. Doctors use information about stage to plan treatment and to monitor progress.

There are several ways to treat lung cancer. The treatment depends on the type of lung cancer and how far it has spread. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. People with lung cancer often get more than one kind of treatment.

Surgery

Doctors cut out and remove cancer tissue in an operation.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to shrink or kill the cancer. The drugs could be pills or medicines given through an IV (intravenous) tube. Sometimes chemotherapy includes both IV drugs and pills.

Radiation

Radiation uses high-energy rays (similar to x-rays) to try to kill the cancer cells. The rays are aimed at the part of the body where the cancer is.These treatments may be provided by different doctors on your medical team. Pulmonologists are doctors that are experts in diseases of the lungs. Surgeons are doctors that perform operations. Medical oncologists are doctors that are experts in cancer and treat cancers with medicines. Radiation oncologists are doctors that treat cancers with radiation.

Clinical trials

People with lung cancer may want to take part in a clinical trial. Clinical trials study new potential treatment options.