What are the treatment of Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is a type of cancer that begins in the lungs and is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women.

Symptoms of lung cancer

Signs and symptoms of lung cancer occur when the disease is in advanced stage. Common signs and symptoms of lung cancer include:

• cough that does not go away
• Blood oozes out while coughing(even a small amount)
• Pain in chest
• Shortness of breath
• Hoarseness in voice
• Losing weight for unknown reason
• Bone pain
• Constant Headache

Types of lung cancer

Lung cancer is classified into two general categories based on the appearance of lung cancer cells under the microscope. The two types of lung cancer are:

1. Small cell lung cancer: Small cell lung cancer occurs in heavy smokers.
2. Non-small cell lung cancer: This type of cancer is an umbrella term for several types of lung cancers that appear similar. A few cancers include squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma.

Causes of lung cancer

Smoking is the main causing factor contributing to the majority of lung cancers. Both smokers and people exposed to passive smoke are at risk of developing lung cancer.

Risk factors for lung cancer

Some risk factors like smoking can be controlled by quitting smoking but there are few other risk factors that cannot be controlled.
A few risk factors for lung cancer are:

• Smoking
• Exposure to secondhand smoke or passive smoking
• Exposure to radon gas
• Exposure to asbestos and other carcinogens
• Family history of lung cancer

How to diagnose lung cancer

Bronchoscopy

This is recommended to people who are above 50 years old and have smoked heavily for several years however healthy. Experts at Oncoplus cancer care motivate people to consider annual lung cancer screening using low-dose CT scans.

• Imaging tests: X-ray of lungs reveal an abnormal mass or nodule.
• CT scan: reveal small lesions in lungs that may not be detected in an X-ray.
• Sputum cytology: Sputum is examined under a microscope to rule out the presence of lung cancer cells.
• A tissue sample (biopsy): A sample of abnormal cells is extracted and sent to a laboratory to make a diagnosis. The careful analysis provides a guide to the oncology team to define the plan of treatment.

Book an appointment with the best medical oncologist in Delhi for Lung Cancer Treatment

Stages of lung cancer

Once the lung cancer has been diagnosed in a patient, the Oncology team works to determine the stage of cancer to know to what extent cancer has spread.
Staging is determined after certain investigations as mentioned above. Like any other cancer, stages of lung cancer are also classified in the range of 0 to 4, where 0 indicates that cancer is limited to the lung while stage 4 indicates cancer has spread to other parts of the body including the liver.

Treatment options available at Oncoplus cancer care

Lung cancer surgery

The treatment plan for lung cancer is based on a number of factors, such as your overall health, the type, and the stage of your cancer.

surgery

Common procedures to remove lung cancer include:

• Wedge resection: removal of a small section of lung that contains the tumor also a margin of healthy tissue.
• Segmental resection: removal of a larger portion of the lung.
• Lobectomy: Removal of the entire lobe of one lung
• Pneumonectomy: removal of the entire lung

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy radiations to destroy cancer cells. For patients with locally advanced lung cancer, radiation therapy can be used before surgery or after surgery.
It is usually combined with chemotherapy treatment if surgery is not an option.

Chemotherapy in Delhi

Chemotherapy drugs are given through a vein in the patient’s arm (intravenously) or taken orally to kill cancer cells. In chemotherapy, a combination of drugs is given in a series of treatments over a period of weeks or months, with breaks in between allowing the patient to recover from side effects of chemotherapy.

Targeted drug therapy

Targeted drug treatments block abnormalities in cancer cells focusing on specific abnormalities present within cancer cells causing cancer cells to die.

Immunotherapy in Delhi

Immunotherapy uses a patient’s immune system to fight cancer, done for patients with advanced lung cancer. Immunotherapy interferes with the process of how cancer cells attack one’s immune system.

Palliative care

People with lung cancer often experience signs and symptoms of cancer also the side effects of treatment. Palliative care known as supportive care in cancer is a specialty area of medicine that involves working with an expert to minimize the signs and symptoms of cancer inpatient.

Book an appointment with the Best Cancer Specialist at Oncoplus Hospital.