Stage IV lung cancer is cancer of the lung that has spread to other organs in the body. Stage IV lung cancer is a lethal disease. Roughly 2 percent of lung cancer patients survive more than five years after diagnosis, according to the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to stop cancer cells from growing and dividing. According to UpToDate.com, stage IV lung cancer patients who receive chemotherapy are twice as likely to live more than one year after diagnosis compared to those who do not.
Common chemotherapy agents for stage IV lung cancer include cisplatin, carboplatin, docetaxel, mitomycin and paclitaxel. These agents are often combined with each other to provide the maximum therapeutic effects.
Several molecular targeted agents, such as gefitnib, erlotinib, bevacizumab and cetuximab, can also be used in combination with standard chemotherapy regimens to treat stage IV lung cancer, according to "Clinical Oncology."
Surgery
Surgery can be used to remove lung cancer cells in other organs. For instance, surgery can be used to remove brain metastases and adrenal metastases, according to "Clinical Oncology."
Radiation Therapy
According to UpToDate.com, radiation therapy can be used to treat a number of symptoms associated with stage IV lung cancer, such as shortness of breath and difficulty in swallowing. Radiation therapy can also be used to manage metastatic disease outside of the chest such as bone metastases or brain metastases.
