Lung Cancer Treatment Options - Surgery
In the early stages of some lung cancers, surgery may be the option that offers the best chance for a complete recovery from cancer. According to medical literature about lung cancer, when a diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer is made in the early stages, the tumor is small and there is no evidence of spread to any other organ systems, surgery to remove the cancer can offer a patient up to an 80% chance of passing the five year survival mark.
Why is surgery recommended for some lung cancers and not for others?
Surgery is most likely to be the recommended treatment for non-small cell lung cancer, particularly in the early stages. It MAY be recommended for small cell lung cancer if it is diagnosed in the earliest stages. This is mostly because small cell lung cancer is seldom found before it has begun to spread to other parts of the body.
Non-small cell lung cancer, on the other hand, does not spread as fast or as virulently. Because it tends to localize in one spot, there's a far better chance that surgery can remove all of the cancer in one surgery.
The decision to operate to remove lung cancer surgically also depends on where the tumor is located. Cancer that is located too close to the windpipe, the heart, major blood vessels or other major organs may present more risks and dangers if surgery is attempted. In that case, a doctor may suggest chemotherapy or radiation to shrink and kill the cancerous cells.
What kind of surgery is used for treating lung cancer?
There are three main kinds of surgery that are used to treat lung cancer, depending on the size and location of the cancer found.
If the oncologist believes that the cancer has been found early and is confined to a very small part of the lung, he may perform a 'lung resection' or a 'segmentectomy'. In either of those surgeries, the doctor removes a small section of one lung - only the part where the cancerous cells have been found. If there's a chance that the cancer may have invaded nearby cells, though, the doctor will use more radical surgeries.
A lobectomy is the removal of one or more lobes of one lung, but not the entire lung. The thoracic surgeon will opt for a lobectomy if he believes that part of the lung is affected, but that the cancer has not spread to the entire lung.
If he believes that the entire lung may be involved, a surgeon may choose to do a pneumonectomy - the removal of one entire lung. The doctor will arrange for tests to be certain that your remaining lung can support your needs for oxygen before doing a complete pneumonectomy.
Remember that surgery is not the treatment of choice for most cancers. It's a very invasive treatment, and doctors' will only attempt it if there is a chance that it will remove the cancer entirely. If the cancer has already advanced beyond a small part of your lung, or if it is fast spreading, then surgery to remove it makes little sense. In that case, chemotherapy, radiology or another kind of treatment are a more reasonable alternative.
Lung Cancer - Overview
Lung Cancer is a type of cancer that forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages. Many lung cancers begin in the bronchi though others can start in other parts of the lungs. Lung cancer also has a tendency to form in the glands below the bronchi.
Lung Cancer - Probabilities
Lung cancer causes up to 30% of all cancer related deaths, and it is the 2nd leading cause of death among both men and women in western society. 85% of all lung cancers are caused by a person's smoking habit or just by breathing in the second-hand smoke of others.
Lung Cancer - Screening
At this moment in time, there is no particularly useful single test that can be considered 100% reliable for the early detection of lung cancer. Unfortunately unless someone is undergoing a health screen for something completely unrelated, lung cancer is very often only discovered in the later stages of the disease when it is often too late to do anything but offer palliative treatment.
Lung Cancer - Symptoms
The most common indicators and symptoms of lung cancer include the following: Fatigue Shortness of breath and wheezing (dyspnoea) A cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis Constant chest pain Coughing up blood (bloody sputum) (haemoptysis) Swelling of the neck and face Fever Loss of appetite and Weight loss (anorexia) Hoarse voice
Lung Cancer Treatment Options - Radiation
In many cases of lung cancer, surgery is not an option. This may be because of the advanced stage of the cancer, the location of the tumor or tumors, or because of the overall general health of the patient. In those cases, the oncologist may suggest radiation therapy to treat lung cancer. Even if surgery is an option, the doctor may suggest irradiation either before therapy to shrink the tumor or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Lung Cancer - Trends by Ethnicity, Sex and Race
In the USA and many other western countries, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Lung cancer has been found to be the leading cancer killer among Caucasians, African-Americans, Asians and Hispanic males.