Surgery can cure lung cancer, but only one in five patients are suitable for this treatment. If the tumor has not spread outside the chest and does not involve vital structures such as the liver, then surgical removal may be possible, but only if the patient does not also have severe bronchitis, heart disease or other illnesses. These additional complications put too great a strain on the patient for them to be able to stand surgery.
Small cell lung cancer is treated with chemotherapy. This is given either by an oncologist (a specialist in cancer treatment) or sometimes by a physician in chest diseases with special experience in chemotherapy. It is given in courses which means that the patient has to stay in hospital for about 48 hours approximately every three weeks.
Popular misconceptions about chemotherapy are common and there is often concern about its perceived difficulties and usefulness. However, there is no doubt that chemotherapy is effective and that it both prolongs and improves the quality of survival in small cell lung cancer. The number of courses required will depend on how well the individual patient responds.
Chemotherapy does have side effects, particularly nausea, vomiting and hair loss. However there are very good drugs to control these side effects. Hair always grows again about three months after the chemotherapy courses have finished.
There is scope for improving the results of chemotherapy and many research trials are going on. Patients who are asked for their consent to take part in a trial should not be frightened. Hundreds of patients take part in trials to detect any benefit between one treatment regime and another. This research must be done if cancer chemotherapy can continue to improve.
Non-small cell cancer may be treated with radiotherapy, chemotherapy (as part of a research trial), or with supportive care.
Radiotherapy is either 'radical' or 'palliative'. Radical is used in selected patients with localised tumours who are inoperable, and involves using high doses of radiation.
Palliative radiotherapy is widely used. It involves using lower doses of radiation often in just one or two doses. It is very good for relieving symptoms, such as blood in the sputum (haemoptysis), bone pain, and also for helping obstruction to the airway or large veins in the chest.
The above information thankfully comes from the netdoctor.co.uk at the following link.
