The short answer
Lung cancer treatment depends on the type and stage. Options include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, often in combination. Biomarker testing helps choose targeted and immune treatments for non-small cell lung cancer.
Treatment depends on the type and stage of the lung cancer.
Early non-small cell lung cancer may be treated with surgery.
Radiation and chemotherapy are used for many lung cancers, alone or combined.
Targeted therapy and immunotherapy help treat many non-small cell lung cancers.
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The full explanation.
The simple version
Lung cancer treatment depends on the type (non-small cell or small cell) and the stage. Most people receive a combination of treatments chosen for their specific cancer, and biomarker testing increasingly helps guide the choice.
Treating non-small cell lung cancer
Options can include:
- Surgery — often for early-stage cancer, to remove part or all of a lung
- Radiation therapy — to kill cancer cells, alone or with chemotherapy
- Chemotherapy — before or after surgery, or as a main treatment
- Targeted therapy and immunotherapy — guided by biomarker testing
Treating small cell lung cancer
Small cell lung cancer is usually treated with chemotherapy, often combined with radiation, because it tends to respond to these and to have spread by the time it is found.
Non-small cell may allow surgery; small cell is usually treated with chemo and radiation.
A plan built for you
Your team chooses treatments based on the type, stage, biomarker results, and your health. Ask about the goals of each treatment, the likely side effects, and whether a clinical trial is an option.
Words to know
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Common questions
▸What are the main treatments?
Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. The combination depends on the type and stage of the cancer and the results of biomarker testing.
▸When is surgery used?
Surgery is often an option for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, sometimes with chemotherapy or other treatments before or after.
▸How is small cell lung cancer treated?
Small cell lung cancer is usually treated with chemotherapy, often combined with radiation, because it tends to respond to these and to have spread by the time it is found.
▸What are targeted therapy and immunotherapy?
Targeted therapy attacks specific gene changes in the cancer, and immunotherapy helps the immune system fight it. Biomarker testing of non-small cell lung cancer helps decide if these are options.
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