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How Is Lung Cancer Treated?
Treatment for lung cancer will depend on several factors, like the type of lung cancer and your overall health and treatment preferences. Some treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or surgery. A care team of healthcare providers will help you create a treatment plan that is best for you.
This team will include a primary healthcare provider, a pulmonologist (who specializes in the lungs), and an oncologist (who specializes in cancer). You might also work with other specialists, such as a surgeon, nutritionist, physical therapist, and psychologist.
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A diagnosis of NSCLC can require several imaging tests. A healthcare provider will likely order tests to determine where the cancer started, how big the tumor is, and if cancer cells have spread to nearby lymph nodes or organs. This can help your care team determine the stage of your cancer. The stages for NSCLC range from 1 to 4. Stage 1 is the earliest and most treatable stage, while stage 4 is the most severe stage. There is no cure for people in stage 4, but the condition can still be treated to prolong life expectancy in some cases. A diagnosis of NSCLC can require several imaging tests. A healthcare provider will likely order tests to determine where the cancer started, how big the tumor is, and if cancer cells have spread to nearby lymph nodes or organs. This can help a care team determine the stage of your cancer. The stages for NSCLC range from 1 to 4. Stage 1 is the earliest and most treatable stage, while stage 4 is the most severe stage. There's no cure for people in stage 4. The condition can still be treated to prolong life expectancy in some cases. Stage 1 The first treatment recommendation for those in stage 1 is generally surgery. Surgery is used to remove cancer cells or a tumor. A thoracic surgeon (who specializes in the chest) will perform the surgery. Options for lung surgery depend on the size of your tumor but can include: Lobectomy: Removal of a lobe (portion) of the lung Pneumonectomy: Removal of the whole right or left lung Wedge resection: Removal of tumor and surrounding lung tissue A surgeon may also remove lymph nodes in the mediastinum, which is the area between your lungs. This procedure may be necessary because cells can move to the lymph nodes if the cancer has metastasized (spread). A care team may also recommend treatments to ensure the cancer cells are gone and to reduce the chance of the cancer coming back. These treatments include: Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy medications kill fast-growing cancer cells. External radiation: External radiation therapy can help kill cancer cells or shrink tumors. A care team can sometimes use this treatment approach if surgery might be dangerous for your health. Targeted therapies: Medications called epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors can help reduce the growth of NSCLC cells. Stage 2 Treatments for stage 1 and stage 2 NSCLC are generally similar. The main difference is in the five-year survival rate. This survival rate refers to the percentage of people living with a condition who are alive five years after receiving a diagnosis. The five-year survival rate for stage 2 cancer is typically lower than it is for stage 1 cancer. Stage 2 treatments may include: Stage 3 A stage 3 lung cancer diagnosis can mean that cancer cells have spread, and the tumors can be any size. Surgeons can't always remove stage 3 tumors, so you may need other forms of treatment. A surgeon will usually perform surgery if they can remove a stage 3 tumor and the tumor hasn't spread to a significant number of lymph nodes. You will typically undergo chemotherapy after the surgery to target and kill any remaining cancer cells. Other treatments can help keep the cancer from spreading if surgery isn't an option. A care team can recommend chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is a type of biologic therapy that helps enhance your immune defenses to fight cancer cells. A healthcare provider may recommend brachytherapy to reduce symptoms like airway obstruction. This type of internal radiation therapy involves inserting small seed-like implants in specific areas of the body to target local cancer cells. Stage 4 Stage 4 lung cancer can't be cured since this stage doesn't usually respond well to treatments. Surgery generally isn't a possibility for those in stage 4. A care team can recommend other treatments: chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Treatment might not improve the condition. Research has found that 10% to 30% of all stage 4 lung cancer tumors will shrink with chemotherapy. A care team will likely suggest palliative care, also referred to as "comfort care." Palliative care is an interdisciplinary type of treatment (i.E., an approach that uses services from many different healthcare specialists). Treatment options during palliative care can include: Type of Care Description Emotional Stress management, counseling, or light physical activities that help you manage anxiety or depression associated with cancer Financial Help you understand the cost of treatment, applying for disability or medical leave, or explaining insurance options Medical Medication and physical checkups with a care team Nutritional Diet options that support your condition Physical Support with pain, fatigue, and nausea Social Learn how to talk to your loved ones about your condition or ask for support Spiritual/communal Work with a faith community or support group to help you find meaning SCLC grows faster and is more aggressive than NSCLC. Healthcare providers don't stage this type of lung cancer the same way as NSCLC. They instead divide SCLC into categories: limited stage and extensive stage. Limited Stage Cancer is only present in one lung if you are in the limited stage. A care team can recommend treatment options, such as: Chemotherapy: Used after surgery to kill off any remaining cancer cells Lobectomy surgery: Removes the part of the lung where the cancer cells or tumors are located Radiation: Prevents the cancer from spreading to major organs (e.G., heart or brain) by shrinking the size of the cancer cells or tumors It's also common to alternate chemotherapy and radiation treatment after surgery. This further prevents the spread of the disease. Extensive Stage The cancer has spread to both lungs, nearby lymph nodes, and other organs if you receive an extensive stage SCLC diagnosis. This stage of SCLC is even more aggressive than the limited stage, so treatment options may be limited. A care team may recommend chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and palliative care. Another option is immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combination therapy. ICI is a drug therapy that attacks tumor cells in the immune system to improve the immune system's ability to kill cancer cells. There are several ICI treatments available. A care team is in the best position to recommend which drug therapy is best for your condition. The cancer can spread to other organs without treatment. More than 225,000 people receive a diagnosis of lung cancer in the United States each year. The disease also accounts for 25% of all cancer deaths, which is why treatment is so important. You often have the best chance of curing your condition if and when you receive a lung cancer diagnosis early. A later diagnosis doesn't mean treatment is unavailable. It just means you may need to use other forms of treatment. Research on additional cancer treatments is ongoing. You may want to ask a care team about clinical trials for new treatment approaches if treatment is not working for you. You might also want to incorporate lifestyle changes that support your condition and overall well-being. Some options include: Doing light exercise Eating a nutritious diet that is right for you Engaging in hobbies and activities that you enjoy Getting good sleep and resting throughout the day Keeping in contact with a care team to ask them questions or update them on your health Speaking to a mental health specialist or a cancer support group to talk about your condition and ways to cope Spending time with loved ones Staying hydrated with water Trying relaxation techniques (e.G., deep breathing, yoga, art) to reduce stress Receiving a lung cancer diagnosis is often scary and life-changing. It's normal to feel overwhelmed or stressed. Remember that you don't have to deal with it all on your own. Lung cancer is an aggressive condition, so it's important to get started on treatment as soon as you can. Treatment options will depend on where cancer cells are located, how far cancer cells have spread, the severity of your condition, and your overall health. A care team can recommend surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, drug treatment, and lifestyle changes to help you manage your condition. Early treatment can prevent the cancer from spreading to other organs and improve your overall quality of life. Thanks for your feedback! 9 Sources Health.Com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Lung Association. Lung cancer care providers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How is lung cancer diagnosed and treated? Siddiqui F, Vaqar S, Siddiqui AH. Lung cancer. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024. National Cancer Institute. Non-small cell lung cancer treatment. National Cancer Institute. Five-year survival rate. National Cancer Institute. Brachytherapy to treat cancer. Lilenbaum RC. Patient education: Non-small cell lung cancer treatment; stage IV cancer (beyond the basics). In: Schild SE, Vora SR, eds. UpToDate. UpToDate; 2024. National Institute on Aging. What are palliative care and hospice care? National Cancer Institute. Small cell lung cancer treatment.What To Know About Lung Adenocarcinoma
A lung adenocarcinoma is a type of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that begins in the glandular cells of the lungs. Depending on the stage, this can be a serious illness. However, treatment can improve a person's outcome.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in both males and females.
Among lung cancer types, lung adenocarcinoma is most frequently observed. Most cancers that begin in the breast, pancreas, and prostate also are adenocarcinomas.
Read on to learn more about lung adenocarcinoma, its symptoms, treatment, and outlook.
There are two predominant types of lung cancer:
The ACS reports that NSCLC is much more common, making up 80% to 85% of all lung cancers.
Lung adenocarcinoma is a type of NSCLC, with the two others being squamous cell lung carcinoma and large cell carcinoma. About 40% of all lung cancers are NSCLC, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
It begins in the glandular cells, which create and release fluids such as mucus and line the walls of your alveoli, the tiny air sacs in your lungs. When they turn cancerous, they begin to grow abnormally. They're often found on the outer parts of the lungs.
Adenocarcinoma of the lung can be further divided into different subtypes based on factors like:
Early on, a person with NSCLC may not experience symptoms. Once symptoms appear, they usually include a cough that does not go away. NSCLC can also cause chest pain when taking a deep breath, coughing, or laughing.
Other symptoms include:
The outlook for people with lung cancer is better when the cancer is found and treated early. If you develop any of the symptoms above, make an appointment with a doctor. They can perform tests to help find what's causing your symptoms.
NSCLC tends to form in the cells along the outer part of the lungs. In the precancerous stage, cells undergo genetic changes that cause the abnormal cells to grow faster.
Further genetic alterations may lead to changes that help the cancer cells grow and form a mass or tumor. Cells that make up a lung cancer tumor can break off and spread to other parts of the body.
The growth of lung adenocarcinoma happens in the following stages:
Depending on the stage of diagnosis, lung adenocarcinoma can be a serious illness. The more the cancer has spread, the more ongoing treatment you will need.
That said, a variety of factors can affect your outlook with adenocarcinoma of the lung. These include:
Having a family history of lung cancer raises your chance of developing it yourself. Certain genetic mutations can also predispose you to it.
Other risk factors include:
To diagnose lung adenocarcinoma of the lung, your doctor will first request your medical history. They'll ask about the symptoms you're having if you currently or have previously smoked and if you have a family history of lung cancer.
They'll then perform a physical examination. At this time, they'll get your vital signs and will listen to your lungs as you breathe.
The tests that may be ordered to help diagnose adenocarcinoma of the lung are:
A lung biopsy is the only way to definitively diagnose adenocarcinoma of the lung. If the tests above raise suspicions of lung cancer, your doctor will request that a biopsy be collected from the affected area and examined under a microscope to look for signs of cancer.
This tissue can also be tested for proteins or genetic changes associated with adenocarcinoma of the lung. If present, they can affect outlook and may also be targets for treatments like targeted therapy and immunotherapy.
An effective treatment for non-small cell adenocarcinoma depends on the cancer's stage. It may include:
Surgery to remove all or only part of the lung is often required if the cancer has not spread. Other treatments are more likely to be needed if the cancer has spread.
Is lung adenocarcinoma cancer curable?While it's not impossible to cure lung adenocarcinoma, this is often difficult because the condition is commonly diagnosed at an advanced stage.
Overall, the 5-year survival rate for NSCLC depends on whether the cancer has spread:
That said, research suggests that people with lung adenocarcinoma may have a slightly higher 5-year survival rate compared to those with other types of lung cancer (32.3% vs 25.4%).
People with two subtypes of adenocarcinoma of the lung, adenocarcinoma in situ and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma have a better outcome, especially when the cancer is treated early with surgery. If surgery completely removes the cancer, the 5-year survival rate approaches 100%.
That said, survival rates are calculated based on data from many people with NSCLC and do not account for individual factors or recent advances in diagnosis and treatment. Overall, it's best to discuss your individual outlook with your care team.
A lung adenocarcinoma is a form of NSCLC originating in the glandular cells of the lungs. Depending on its stage, this can be potentially life threatening. There are treatment options available that may lead to better outcomes.
Doctors and researchers also continue to develop newer, more effective treatments for adenocarcinoma of the lung. These can include new targeted therapy or immunotherapy drugs or new ways to use existing treatments.
Before being used on a larger scale, these new treatments need to be tested in clinical trials. If you're interested in taking part in a clinical trial, talk with your care team. They can help you to find one that you would be a good candidate for.
You can also consider looking at clinical trials supported by the NCI. The LUNGevity Foundation also provides a clinical trial matching service via the phone or an online search tool.
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