Cervical Cancer, Different Treatments and Importance of Bile Acids as Therapeutic Agents in This Disease
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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Basal Cell Carcinoma Treatment
Our dermatologic nurses have extensive experience caring for people with basal cell carcinomas.
At Memorial Sloan Kettering, our basal cell carcinoma doctors and experts are able to easily and successfully treat basal cell carcinomas with currently available treatments. It's a highly curable cancer with both surgical and nonsurgical therapies, especially if treated early.
Which treatment is used depends on:
There are many treatment options are available for basal cell carcinoma. Most can be easily done in your doctor's office. They include:
CryotherapyCryotherapy is a nonsurgical treatment for basal cell carcinoma. Your doctor applies liquid nitrogen to the tumor, freezing the abnormal tissue. The frozen skin then sloughs off (falls away) as the skin underneath heals.
Curettage and ElectrodesiccationA very common treatment for basal cell carcinoma is curettage and electrodesiccation. It's most effective for low-risk tumors found on your trunk and limbs.
First, the area is numbed with a local anesthetic. Once the freezing has taken effect, your surgeon uses a curette (a semisharp instrument with a spoon-shaped edge) to scrape away the cancerous tissue. Once that is done, your doctor uses an electric needle to control the bleeding. This technique also destroys any cancer cells that may remain around the edge of the tumor. The wound usually heals within a few weeks.
Laser SurgeryWith laser surgery, the tumor is vaporized with a highly focused light beam. Laser surgery only kills tumor cells on the surface of the skin and doesn't go deeper, so its use is limited and close follow-up is essential.
Mohs SurgerySkin Cancer Doctors
MSK physicians who treat basal cell carcinoma and other skin cancers include dermatologists, Mohs surgeons, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists.
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For tumors with a high risk of recurrence, we may perform a highly specialized technique called Mohs surgery. In this procedure, your surgeon removes the tumor tissue layer by layer, mapping and freezing each layer. Each layer is examined under a microscope for tumor cells before proceeding to the next. This is a precise, complex, and time-consuming process, but Mohs surgery makes sure that the whole tumor is removed. It also limits the amount of scarring by keeping as much normal skin as possible.
Mohs surgery has the highest cure rate of all therapies and is especially effective for high-risk basal cell carcinomas, such as large tumors, tumors that have recurred after other treatments, and tumors in areas such as the face, where we want to preserve as much normal skin as possible.
SurgeryHigh-risk basal cell carcinoma is usually removed by surgery, which can be done anywhere on your body. To perform the procedure, called standard surgical excision or removal, your surgeon injects a local (area) anesthetic and then removes the tumor from your skin. A portion of tissue around the tumor (a safety margin) is also taken off to make sure that all the cancer cells have been removed. The wound is then closed with sutures (stitches).
Surgery is most effective for tumors with well-defined borders. One advantage to this procedure is that the tissue can be sent to a laboratory so a pathologist (a specialist who examines the tissue for signs of cancer) can verify if the whole tumor has been removed.
Learn about our skin cancer program for advanced skin cancers.
Radiation TherapyRadiation therapy, a treatment that involves x-rays or high-energy particles, can be useful for tumors in areas that are hard to treat surgically or for patients who are at a higher risk of having complications from surgery. Radiation is also sometimes used after surgery to destroy any cancerous cells that remain, or to treat tumors with a higher risk of recurrence.
Radiation is usually delivered in small doses over a period of three to four weeks to avoid burning the skin and to improve the cosmetic outcome.
Topical Chemotherapy
Mohs surgeon Anthony Rossi works with a team of experts so he can present patients with the full range of treatment options.
Most people think of chemotherapy as something they get by IV or take as pills. But topical chemotherapy treatments also exist. These are creams and lotions that contain chemotherapy drugs. Topical chemotherapy targets damaged skin without touching the surrounding normal tissue. However, because the cancerous tissue is not removed, it can't be tested.
Cure rates are typically lower with topical chemotherapy than with other therapies, so these treatments are usually reserved for small low-risk lesions. A drawback to topical chemotherapy is that it may not go through all the layers of the skin, so careful follow-up is essential after treatment.
One topical chemotherapy we offer is fluorouracil. It's available in a lotion form, and you apply it at home for three to six weeks. Another topical treatment is imiquimod, a lotion that causes immune cells to attack the abnormal tissue.
ReconstructionAny form of surgery may leave a scar, and some scars are more noticeable than others. If removing a basal cell carcinoma leaves behind a wound that is too big to close with simple sutures (stitches), your surgeon may do reconstructive surgery, such as skin grafts and flaps. These techniques can help heal the skin and restore its appearance.
Follow-up CareEven after successful treatment, some basal cell carcinomas can come back. Also, people who have had one skin cancer are at a higher than average risk for developing new skin cancers of all types.
If you've been treated for basal cell carcinoma, you should see your doctor immediately if you find a growth, bump, or spot or if you notice any changes in your skin that could mean the disease has returned. You must make sure to protect yourself from the sun as well.
Treatment For Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Most cases of squamous cell carcinoma can be cured when found early and treated properly. Today, many treatment options are available, and most are easily performed at a doctor's office.
Which treatment approach is best for you will depend on such things as whether the squamous cell skin cancer is high risk or low risk, and your age, general health, medical history, and personal preferences.
Our skin cancer experts are experienced in helping people make a treatment decision they are comfortable with.
It's important not to delay treatment for too long, since this can make the cancer more difficult to cure. Waiting to treat squamous cell skin cancer also increases the risk of hurting your appearance and leading to difficulties with using that part of the body normally if a lot of surgery or other treatment is needed.
Treatment for Precancerous Skin ChangesWhile most skin cancer arises as a brand new spot, some squamous cell carcinoma develops from a precancer called actinic keratosis, or solar keratosis (usually a rough, flat, pink spot on the skin, which may become firm and raised above the normal skin surface if it becomes cancerous).
For people with this precancerous condition, we offer photodynamic therapy. The procedure involves applying a special chemical to the skin and then exposing the area to a certain wavelength of light. The light causes the chemical to release reactive oxygen molecules, which destroy the precancerous cells.
Another option for small, low-risk lesions is topical chemotherapy. With this approach, we target damaged skin without touching surrounding normal tissue. Two common topical chemotherapies are:
Because topical chemotherapy does not kill cells under the surface of the skin, close follow-up is essential.
Squamous Cell Skin Cancer TreatmentAt Memorial Sloan Kettering, our experts treat squamous cell skin cancer with surgery, radiation therapy, or topical chemotherapy in some cases.
SurgerySurgery is often recommended to remove squamous cell lesions, particularly those classified as high risk. Surgical removal involves injecting a local anesthetic and removing the tumor from the skin along with a "safety margin" to ensure that all of the cancer cells have been removed. The wound is then closed with stitches. .
Skin Cancer Doctors
MSK physicians who treat squamous cell carcinoma and other skin cancers include dermatologists, Mohs surgeons, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists.
Find a dermatologist or other specialist
Surgery is most effective for tumors with well-defined borders and can be performed virtually anywhere on the body. An advantage of surgery is that the tissue can be sent to a laboratory for microscopic evaluation by a pathologist, who will verify whether the entire tumor has been removed along with enough space between the cancerous and noncancerous tissue.
Any form of surgery can leave a scar, some more noticeable than others. As a comprehensive cancer center, MSK has reconstructive surgeons skilled in using skin grafts, flaps, and other procedures to help make the area look as normal as possible.
Mohs Surgery
Mohs surgery has the highest cure rate of all therapies for squamous cell carcinomas. It is particularly effective for high-risk squamous cell carcinomas, such as large, deep tumors; tumors that have recurred after other treatments; and tumors in areas, such as the face, that require as much preservation of normal skin as possible.
The approach involves a surgeon removing skin tissue layer by layer, mapping and freezing each layer, and examining the tissue for tumor cells under a microscope before proceeding to the next layer. It's complicated and time-consuming, but it ensures that the entire tumor is removed. Another advantage is that it minimizes scarring by preserving as much normal skin as possible.
Curettage and Electrodessication
This very common treatment for squamous cell carcinoma is most effective for low-risk tumors. After numbing the area with a local anesthetic, the surgeon uses a semisharp instrument with a spoon-shaped edge (called a curette) to scrape away the cancerous tissue. The area is then treated with an electric needle to control bleeding and destroy any cancer cells that may remain around the edge of the wound. The wound usually heals within a few weeks.
Cryosurgery
This treatment involves applying liquid nitrogen to freeze the abnormal tissue, which then sloughs off as the underlying skin heals.
Laser Surgery
With this approach, we vaporize tumor tissue with a highly focused beam of light. Because laser surgery kills tumor cells only on the surface of the skin, its use is limited and close follow-up is essential.
Radiation TherapyRadiation therapy with x-rays or high-energy particles can be useful for treating tumors in areas that are difficult to treat with surgery, or in older people and others at a higher risk for complications with surgery.
Sometimes we recommend radiation after surgery to destroy tumor cells that may have been missed, or to treat tumors with a higher risk of coming back. We usually deliver radiation in small doses over a period of three to four weeks to avoid burning the skin, and to improve the cosmetic outcome.
Electronic Skin Surface Brachytherapy (ESSB)Some skin cancers that do not require very deep radiation may be treated with a new form of radiation therapy applied directly to the skin, called electronic skin surface brachytherapy (ESSB).
In ESSB, we apply smooth, round disks to the skin; these disks are attached to a radiation therapy machine. They are left in place for just a few minutes while the radiation is delivered, allowing the tumor to be treated. The approach spares underlying healthy skin from the effects of the radiation.
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