Lung cancer is a disease in which cancer cells begin to grow and divide within the tissue of the lungs. Smoking cigarettes, pipes or cigars is the most common cause of lung cancer, states the National Cancer Institute. Symptoms of lung cancer include a cough that does not go away, difficulty breathing, coughing up blood and fatigue. There are several treatment options for lung cancer. Treatment will depend on the severity of your disease and your overall health.
Surgery
Four different types of surgery may be used in the treatment of lung cancer. During a wedge resection, the effected area and some of the surrounding tissue and removed. If your cancer is more advanced, a lobe of the lung may be removed (lobectomy). In severe cases, the entire lung may be removed (pneumonectomy). Lung cancer surgery carries risks, including bleeding and infection, states the Mayo Clinic.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of potent drugs to kill cancer cells and stop them from dividing. It may be given orally in the form of a pill or intravenously through a vein in your arm or a medi-port that has been surgically placed. The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated, states the National Cancer Institute.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy uses high energy x-ray beams to destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy can be directed at your lung cancer from outside your body (external beam radiation) or it can be put inside needles, seeds or catheters and placed inside your body near the cancer (brachytherapy), states the Mayo Clinic.
Clinical Trials
You may be able to participate in clinical trials in the treatment of your lung cancer. These trials use new or experimental methods to treat cancer. Some patients consider a clinical trial when other treatment methods have failed. You can discuss available clinical trials in your area with your oncologist.
