Lung Cancer Treatments

Treatment of asbestos-related lung cancer can sometimes be compromised if the cancer is diagnosed in a late stage of develop. Unfortunately, this can be quite symptomatic of asbestos-induced diseases since it typically takes decades for symptoms to arise. Whether caused solely by asbestos exposure or by the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure, treatment options remain the same.

There are a variety of treatment options available for those with lung cancer. However, the types of treatment options vary depending upon the type of lung cancer that is diagnosed. For small cell lung cancer patients, treatment can include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. In addition to the three types of treatment options used for small cell, laser therapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and watchful waiting can be used for non-small cell lung cancer. Depending on the stage of diagnosis and the type of lung cancer involved, an array of treatment combinations may be used for more effective treatment options.

Treatment Options

• Surgery - There are four different types of surgery that are used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. One is a wedge resection, which removes the tumor and parts of the surrounding tissue. A lobectomy removes a whole lobe (section) of a lung, and a pneumonectomy removes an entire lung. The process of a sleeve resection removes part of the bronchus. Surgery can be used for both small cell and non-small cell lung cancer.
• Chemotherapy -This form of therapy uses medication to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, either by killing or prohibiting the cellular dividing process. Chemotherapy medication can be taken orally, injected intravenously, or injected into a muscle. Both small cell and non-small cell cancer can be treated this way.
• Radiation Therapy -Radiation therapy aims to kill cancer cells or keep the uncontrollable cells from growing. There are two categories of radiation, including external and internal. Radiation therapy is used for both small cell and non-small cell lung cancer.
• Laser Therapy - This treatment involves the use of a laser beam, which is a narrow bean of extremely intense light, to kill cancerous cells. Laser therapy is used for non-small cell lung cancer.
• Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) - Photodynamic therapy involves the injection of a non-active medication into the bloodstream and is for non-small cell lung cancer.
• Watchful Waiting - Watchful waiting involves a close monitoring of a patient's condition with no treatment efforts until symptoms begin to appear or change in some manner. This treatment is used for non-small cell cancer.

Lung cancer treatments are designed to improve the survival rates of patients. In some cases, tests will be repeated to determine how well the treatment is working. The decision to continue, change, or stop treatment may result from these tests. This is often called re-staging. For more information on treatment options, please see"Small Cell Lung Cancer" and "Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer."

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