Treatment options for Lung Cancer (like all cancers) vary with the stage of development that the disease is in. The type of Lung Cancer and the stage of the disease determine which treatments are normally used. Non Small Cell Cancer is normally treated with surgery while Small Cell Cancer is normally treated with chemotherapy or other non-surgical procedures. Treatment options are different for each individual case, but there are several common procedures listed below. The information presented is intended to provide you with treatment information to use in discussing treatment options with your medical team.

For information from the National Cancer Institute about lung cancer treatment, visit:
http://cancernet.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/treatment/lung

Surgery for Lung Cancer
Surgery is most commonly used in the treatment of Non-Small Cell Cancer

Surgery is often followed by radiation or chemotherapy to destroy cancer cells that may have spread or may have been missed during surgery. The type of surgery depends on the location and size of the tumor.

Segmental Resection - Surgery to remove only a small part of the lung that the tumor is isolated in. Sometimes referred to as a "wedge resection."

Lobectomy - The surgical removal of an entire lobe of the lung; The right lung is divided into 3 lobes and the left lung is divided into 2 lobes.

Pneumonectomy - The surgical removal of an entire lung.

Other Treatments
Chemotherapy is most commonly used in the treatment of Small Cell Cancer

Chemotherapy - Drugs are administered by mouth or injection to kill the cancer cells. The drugs enter the blood stream and can therefore reach areas of the body where the cancer may have spread.

Radiation Therapy - In some cases X-rays can be used to kill or shrink cancer cells at the site of the tumor. The radiation may be administered by a machine, such as a linear accelerator or cobalt apparatus, or from a radioactive source implanted within the diseased area. External beam radiation therapy uses radiation from outside the body to focus on the cancer and is, therefore, not the primary treatment for cancer that may have spread.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) - A special chemical is injected into the blood stream and absorbed by all the cells. The chemical does not stay in normal cells for long but does remain in cancer cells for quite a while. A laser is aimed at the cancer and activates the chemical to kill the cancer cells it is inside of. PDT is normally used to relieve symptoms, such as breathing problems or bleeding, or to treat small tumors.

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