Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Facts: Diagnosis and Treatment Options
Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Diagnosis
Your doctor may suspect you have non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) based on signs and symptoms you may have experienced. He or she may use one or more of the following methods or tests to make a non-small-cell lung cancer diagnosis:
- Physical Exam and Medical History: During a physical exam, your doctor checks for lung cancer signs and other possible health problems. Your doctor also takes your medical history, asking you a series of questions to find out if you have lung cancer risk factors
and symptoms.
- X Rays and Scans: X rays and scans can find lung cancers by creating images of the inside of the body. These images can help doctors determine if you have lung cancer and possibly if the cancer has spread, or metastasized
. Types of X rays and scans your doctor may use include chest X ray, CT (computed tomography) scan
, MRI
(magnetic resonance imaging), positron emission tomography (PET)
, and bone scan
. Bone scans are done only if you have non-small-cell lung cancer and symptoms or previous tests have indicated the cancer may have spread to the bones.
- Lung Cancer Tissue and Cell Testing: After the above diagnostic tests are done, your doctor may perform one or more detailed procedures, such as biopsies
, that test samples of your cells and tissues (like from phlegm or the lung mass). These samples may help confirm a diagnosis of lung cancer, the type of lung cancer, and whether the cancer has spread.
Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Treatment Options
Once you have been diagnosed with lung cancer and your doctor knows the type and stage of your cancer, you and your doctor will work together to choose the lung cancer treatment plan that is best for you. There are many treatment options available for non-small-cell lung cancer, and the decision can be overwhelming. It is important to talk to your doctor about any concerns you may have.
Following is a brief summary of common options available for non-small-cell lung cancer treatment. Your treatment may include one or a combination of these options.
- Surgery: Surgery to remove non-small-cell lung cancer plus surrounding tissue is the only sure way to get rid of the cancer. There are several types of surgeries for non-small-cell lung cancer, including lobectomy (removing a section of the lung), pneumonectomy (removing an entire lung), and segmentectomy (removing part of a lung section). In addition, lymph nodes
may be removed to determine if, and how far, the cancer may have spread.
- Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy
is another common treatment that may be used as part of your non-small-cell lung cancer treatment plan. There are two common types of radiation therapy for lung cancers: external beam radiation therapy
and brachytherapy
. External beam radiation therapy may be the main treatment for your non-small-cell lung cancer. Brachytherapy may help relieve airway blockage caused by lung cancers.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy
is the use of drugs to help kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be administered in pill form or through a vein. Chemotherapy treatment may be chosen for several reasons, but typically it is used to treat non-small-cell lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. Your doctor may choose chemotherapy as your main treatment or in combination with surgery. Chemotherapy may have side effects
.
Learn more about chemotherapy treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer in the About Taxotere® section of this site. Also, be sure to visit the Understanding Chemotherapy section for tips on managing chemotherapy side effects and more.
