Treatment for lung cancer

There are things you can do to help you feel more in control of your health when preparing for treatment. This is called prehabilitation or prehab.

A team of health professionals decides what treatment you might need. They also decide what treatment options you have. The type of treatment you have for small cell lung cancer will depend on the stage of your cancer. 

A team of health professionals decides what treatment you might need. They also decide what treatment options you have. The type of treatment you have for non small cell lung cancer will depend on the stage of your cancer. 

The type of surgery you might have depends on where in the lung your cancer is, how big it is, and your general health. 

Radiotherapy is a common treatment for lung cancer. You usually have external radiotherapy. This means using radiation from a machine to destroy the cancer. 

Chemotherapy uses anti cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells. You might have chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer and non small cell lung cancer.  

Chemoradiotherapy means having chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment together. You might have this as part of your treatment for small cell and non small cell lung cancer.

Targeted cancer drugs work by targeting the differences in cancer cells that help them to grow and survive. Other drugs help the immune system to attack cancer. They are called immunotherapies.

There are a number of different symptoms that you might experience with advanced lung cancer. There are treatments available that can try to make you feel more comfortable. 

Photodynamic therapy kills cancer cells by using a combination of a light sensitising drug and a very bright light.

A laser is a very thin, focused beam of light that heats and destroys tissue. Lasers can focus very accurately on tiny areas.

Ablation means to destroy. Doctors can use heat to destroy tumours that started in the lung.

Diathermy treatment uses an electrical current to heat and destroy cancer cells.

Metastatic lung cancer can cause problems with your breathing. Some treatments can help you breathe more easily. 

Cryotherapy is a treatment for metastatic lung cancer that freezes cancer cells. It can shrink a tumour that is blocking an airway.

A stent is a hollow tube that may be placed in your airway. It opens the narrowed area and helps you breathe.

After treatment for lung cancer, you have regular check ups at the hospital. You also have tests including blood tests, x-rays and scans.