Treatment by stage for small cell lung cancer

If you have early stage small cell lung cancer you are most likely to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy to the lung. It is quite common for this type of cancer to spread to the brain. So doctors often recommend that people with early small cell lung cancer have radiotherapy to the brain to try to kill any cancer cells that may have already spread there. This is called prophylactic cranial irradiation or PCI.

If you have very early stage small cell lung cancer that has not spread to any lymph nodes, you may have surgery to remove the part of the lung containing the tumour (a lobectomy) followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy. But usually the cancer has already spread at the time of diagnosis and surgery is not then possible.

If you have small cell cancer that has spread to lymph nodes or other areas of the body you may have chemotherapy, radiotherapy or biological therapy treatment to relieve symptoms. If chemotherapy works well to shrink the lung tumour down and you are fairly fit you may also have radiotherapy to the brain to kill any cancer cells that may have already spread there. This is called prophylactic cranial irradiation or PCI.

Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Treatment by Stage

Limited-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

Treatment of limited-stage small cell lung cancer may include the following:

* Combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the chest, with or without radiation therapy to the brain.

* Combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to the brain in patients with complete response.

* Combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to the chest.

* Surgery followed by chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus radiation therapy to the chest, with or without radiation therapy to the brain.

* Clinical trials of new chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation treatments.

This summary refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from NCI Web site.

Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

Treatment of extensive-stage small cell lung cancer may include the following:

* Chemotherapy.

* Combination chemotherapy.

* Combination chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to the brain for patients with complete response.

* Radiation therapy to the brain, spine, bone, or other parts of the body where the cancer has spread, as palliative therapy to relieve symptoms and improve quality of life.

* Clinical trials of new chemotherapy treatments.

Treatment by stage for non small cell lung cancer

Stage 1

Stage 1 non small cell lung cancer is very uncommon. You normally have surgery to remove part of the lung (a lobectomy) or all of the lung (a pneumonectomy). If you can't have an operation for other health reasons, your doctor may suggest radiotherapy instead to try to cure the cancer. Another option for small tumours if you cannot have surgery is RFA, or radio frequency ablation.

Stage 2

For stage 2 non small cell lung cancer, depending on the position of the tumour, you may be offered surgery to remove part of the lung (a lobectomy) or all of the lung (a pneumonectomy). If the cancer is completely removed, your specialist may suggest chemotherapy to try to lower the risk of the cancer coming back. This is called adjuvant chemotherapy. It is important that your doctor talks to you beforehand about the benefits and side effects of chemotherapy. If you can't have surgery, you may be offered radiotherapy to try to get rid of the cancer completely.

Stage 3

For stage 3 non small cell lung cancer you may be able to have surgery, depending on where the cancer is in the lung. You may need to have the whole lung removed (a pneumonectomy). If there are cancer cells in the middle area of the chest (the mediastinum), your doctor may suggest radiotherapy instead. The cancer may be too close to your heart to operate safely.

If your doctor spots signs of cancer in the lymph nodes on the same side of your chest as the lung cancer, they may advise you to have chemotherapy before the surgery. This is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. If cancer cells are not found in the lymph nodes until after the surgery your doctor is likely to advise you to have chemotherapy and possibly radiotherapy after the operation.

If your doctor spots signs of cancer in the lymph nodes on the opposite side of your chest, surgery is not possible but you may have a course of chemotherapy. After the chemotherapy it might be possible to have further treatment with radiotherapy. You may also have further treatment with a biological therapy called erlotinib (Tarceva).

Stage 4

Treatment for stage 4 non small cell lung cancer aims to control the cancer for as long as possible and to shrink the tumour down to reduce symptoms. Many trials have used chemotherapy in this situation and we now know that it can improve survival time as well as relieving symptoms. A biological therapy called erlotinib (Tarceva) is sometimes used when chemotherapy is no longer working. It aims to control symptoms and try to help people live longer.

You may also have radiotherapy to control symptoms such as pain or a cough. As well as radiotherapy, other treatments can relieve a blockage and reduce symptoms if you have a tumour in one of the main airways (the left or right bronchus). These treatments include internal radiotherapy (brachytherapy), laser treatment, freezing the tumour (cryotherapy), using a rigid tube (a stent) to keep the airway open, and light therapy (photodynamic therapy - PDT). There is detailed information about treatments to relieve an airway blockage in the advanced lung cancer treatment section.

Searching for the Right Lung Cancer Treatment

Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. If you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, the next thing you should do is to discuss with your doctors the most suitable lung cancer treatment for you. There are various options available for the treatment of lung cancer, but you will need to discuss these options carefully with your doctors and family before making a decision on the treatment method. Please bear in mind that the earlier the cancer is treated, the better will be your prognosis from this deadly disease.

Surgery is obviously one of the more effective treatment

for removing the cancer from the body, however it all depends on how far along the cancer is. CT and PET scans are used to determine is the cancer can be removed through surgery, or if it is too far along and has spread to other areas making it harder to perform surgery. Blood tests and spirometry or lung function testing are also used to see if the patient can be operated on. Surgical procedures include wedge resction or partial removal of the lobe, a lobectomy or removal of one lobe, a bilobectomy or removal of two lobes, and pneumonectomy or the removal of an entire lung. A lobectomy is the most common form of surgery because it reduces the chance of the cancer returning.

Chemotherapy is also used to reduce the risk of the cancer recurring. The kind of chemotherapy used depends on the type of cancer and where it is located in the lungs. Radiotherapy is often used along with chemotherapy.

Another form of lung cancer treatment besides these two is targeted therapy. Gefitinib is one such drug that targets the tyrosine kinase domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor. This has shown to increase the chances of survival in many of the people whom have taken this drug. Erlotinib is another drug that has been shown to increase the survival rate in cancer patients. Both of these drugs have been shown to be very effective in females, Asians and non-smokers.

Becoming diagnosed with lung cancer is a very serious thing to be told. There are several ways the cancer can be treated now but it is important to know all the lung cancer treatment options that are available to you. It is best to get surgery if at all possible, but if the cancer has spread into other areas, surgery is out of the question. Then chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy can be considered. You should also explore the possibility of using other alternative cancer treatments. However, it is important for you to speak with your doctor the instance you have gotten lung cancer.

Natural Lung Cancer Treatment

Lung cancer, the growth of malignant cells in the lungs, and is the leading cause of death from cancer in the United States for both men and women. The types of primary lung cancer (cancer that originates in the lungs) may be grouped into two categories: small-cell carcinoma and non-small-cell carcinoma. Non-small-cell carcinoma comprises several types of lung cancers and is responsible for up to 80 percent of cases. The outlook is poor for all types of lung cancer unless the cancer is detected very early and can be surgically removed. Small-cell carcinoma is the most difficult to treat as it is often diagnosed after it has spread to many organs. Despite being very responsive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, individuals with small cell carcinoma commonly relapse within a year.

Primary lung cancer can spread to essentially any organ. Where it may produce more disabling symptoms. Most cases occur between ages 45 and 75, after years of exposure to cigarette smoke or other pollutants. In many instances, the disease is preventable: over 90 percent of cases are caused by smoking. Nonsmokers have only a small risk, and those who quit smoking even after smoking for years greatly reduce their risk. The lungs are also a frequent site of secondary cancer, which has spread from elsewhere in the body. Such tumors are almost always incurable.

Prevention

Abstain from smoking; try to limit your exposure to second hand smoke and air pollution. Homes may be tested for radon using kit available in most hardware stores.

One natural lung cancer treatment is proper diet and nutrition

Genistein, antioxidant found in soybeans, may have a powerful effect on stopping the growth of lung cancer cells. Alpha carotene, beta carotene, and other carotenoids are believed by many researchers to aid in reducing and stopping the risk of lung cancer, although there is some evidence that beta carotene may be linked to a higher rate of lung cancer and mortality in smokers, former smokers, and those subjected to exposure to asbestos in their working environments.

A diet high in fruits and vegetables (including tomatoes) is associated with a greatly reduced risk of lung cancer. Shiitake mushrooms contain lentinan, which may also offer protection and cure.

Vitamins E and C and beta-carotene all work synergistically, and when taken together, the potential adverse side effects are counteracted. Selenium, lycopene, lutein, and glutathione have been associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer. Vitamins C and E, beta-carotene, selenium, and the B vitamins have also been associated with a decreased risk of lung cancer.

Supplemental oxygen is highly recommended for the treatment of lung cancer. We have to explore and examine this potent and effective natural therapy combining this one with proper nutrition and diet makes it very powerful. This one should not be neglected and should be a part of your arsenal against lung cancer, the recommended natural lung cancer treatment as provided by the “one minute cure for all diseases”. We all know that this treatment has gain respect to a lot of people. Researched revealed that if you deprive a cell 35% of its required levels of oxygen for 2days, the cell will become malignant and cancerous and will be prone to different kinds of diseases such as lung cancer. Most people don't realize is that lack of oxygen is not only the cause of lung cancer but is also the cause of all most diseases. When the body is supplied with abundant amounts of oxygen, no microbes, viruses, harmful bacteria, toxins, pathogens and disease microorganisms can survive because they cannot survive in a highly ox

ygenated environment.