Posts Tagged ‘lung cancer therapy’

Lung Cancer Treatment

Lung Cancer Treatment depends on a number of factors, including the type of lung cancer (small cell or small), the size, location and extent of the tumor, and the patient’s overall health. You can use many different treatments and combinations of treatments to control lung cancer or to improve the quality of life by reducing symptoms.

Surgery is an operation to remove the cancer. The type of surgery the doctor performs depends on the location of the tumor in the lung. An operation to remove only a small part of the lung is called a segmental or wedge resection. When the surgeon removes an entire lobe of the lung, the procedure is called a lobectomy. Pneumonectomy is the removal of an entire lung. Some tumors are inoperable (can not be removed by surgery) because of the size or site, and some patients can not have surgery for other medical reasons.

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to kill cancer cells throughout the body. Even after it has been removed lung cancer, cancer cells may still be present in nearby tissue or elsewhere in the body. Chemotherapy may be used to control cancer growth or to relieve symptoms. Most anticancer drugs are given by injection into a vein (intravenously) or through a catheter, a thin tube is placed into a large vein and remains there for as long as necessary. Some anticancer drugs are given as pills or tablets.

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