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Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment

Though small cell and non-small cell lung cancer may be diagnosed in a similar fashion, treatment options for these types of lung cancer do vary. While non-small cell lung cancer has six different types of available treatment options, small cell currently only has three standard options for treatment. The approach and combination of therapies used heavily depends upon the stage and location of the cancer. Many may wonder if treatment options are dependent upon the actual cause of the cancer, but this does not affect approaches in treatment. Whether caused by solely by asbestos exposure or by the combination of asbestos and smoking cigarettes, treatment options remain the same.

Three Types of Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment

• Surgery - This treatment is only available to patients with cancer in one lung and nearby lymph nodes. Unfortunately, since small cell lung cancer is typically found in both lungs, surgery is not commonly used. Laser therapy, which involves the application of a narrow beam of light that kills cancer cells, may be used during surgery.
• Radiation Therapy - This form of therapy uses high-energy x-rays (or other types of radiation) to kill cancerous cells or keep these otherwise uncontrollable cells from growing. Radiation falls into two categories: external and internal. External radiation involves the use of a machine outside the patient's body to direct radiation toward the cancer location. Internal radiation involves the use of radioactive substances sealed in wires, needles, seeds, or catheters that are planted into or near the cancer.
• Chemotherapy - A common cancer treatment, chemotherapy uses special medication in an effort to inhibit the growth of cancer cells, either through killing the cancerous cells or by prohibiting their dividing process. In many cases, chemotherapy medication is taken orally or injected intravenously (or into a muscle), and then enters the bloodstream to reach cancerous cells in the body. Chemotherapy can also be placed near the cancer in an effort to directly affect nearby cells. This is known as regional chemotherapy.

Other types of treatment are currently being studied in clinical trials to hopefully expand and enhance the treatment options available to those suffering with small cell lung cancer. For certain patients, partaking in a clinical trial may be the best and most optimistic treatment choice.

Presently, there are no specific treatments used to address asbestos-induced lung cancer. Though the exact mechanisms that cause lung cancer among those exposed to asbestos is different from those caused by smoking or radon exposure, treatment options do not change.

Sources:

1. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/small-cell-lung/Patient/page4
2. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4x_Introduction_to_ Treatment_for_Small_Cell_Lung_Cancer.asp?sitearea=
3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/lung-cancer/treatment.html

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