Lung cancer treatment is based on what type and stage the cancer is in. Depending on this, there are a variety of options for combating this disease.
Surgery
There are a bevy of surgeries for treating lung cancer. These include Mediastinoscopy (sampling of lymph nodes to assess spreading of cancer), Wedge resection (removing small section of one lung), Lobectomy (remove entire lobe of one lung) and Pneumonectomy (removal of a lung). Hospital stays for these surgeries tend to run at least a week, though, depending on other health issues, can run much longer.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is prescribed by oncologists, who work with patients to design a treatment program based on the stage and severity of the lung cancer. Radiation can destroy cancer cells without surgery, though it is sometimes administered before or after surgery.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy typically includes one or several drugs, which are prescribed by an oncologist. Chemotherapy is known to help radiation therapy be more effective; it can also include an experimental drug as part of a clinical trial.
Photodynamic Therapy
This form of therapy involves bronchial tubes and can eliminate cancer caught in early stages. For those in the later stages of lung cancer, photodynamic therapy is used to aid in preventing blockage of bronchial tubes.
Tags: bronchial tubes, lung cancer