Lung Cancer Treatment
Doctors can use many types of treatments to help patients with lung cancer live longer. Essential lung cancer treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and more. Learn what treatments for lung cancer could improve your health outlook and how to access them.
How to Treat Lung Cancer
Lung cancer treatment allows doctors to remove, destroy, or shrink tumors so that you can hopefully live longer and with fewer painful symptoms.
Commonly used lung cancer treatments include:
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Surgery
- Targeted therapy
- Palliative (pain-relieving) treatments
- New treatments in clinical trials
Oncologists (cancer doctors) often use multiple treatments together for the best results. Treatments you’ll be eligible for vary depending on the type of lung cancer you have, how far it has spread (cancer stage), your overall health, and many other factors.
Lung cancer treatments can be costly, but you may be eligible for financial compensation after a diagnosis to cover expenses and get the care you need.
Get a Free Lung Cancer Guide to learn more about treatments and how to afford them.
- Understand risk factors
- Find top treatments
- Pursue compensation
What Is the Treatment for Lung Cancer by Type?
There are several different types of lung cancer, and treatment options vary for each since some are easier to treat than others.
The two main types of lung cancer include:
- Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): NSCLC tumors are made up of cells that spread slowly. Surgery is the most common option for NSCLC patients diagnosed before the cancer has spread, but other treatments can help too.
- Small cell lung cancer (SCLC): These cancer cells are smaller and spread faster than NSCLC cells. SCLC is typically treated with radiation and chemotherapy, but surgery is also an option in rare cases.
Doctors can recommend effective treatments depending on which type of lung cancer you’re diagnosed with.
There are typically more treatment options for non-small cell lung cancer in the early stages, most notably surgery. However, treatment plans may help you live longer no matter which type of lung cancer you’re facing.
Surgery
Lung cancer surgeries allow doctors to remove cancer tumors so patients can live longer. They may need to take out part or all of the lung closest to the cancer for best results. Lung cancer surgeries are typically used in cases of early-stage NSCLC.
Here’s how to treat lung cancer with surgery:
- Wedge resection: A small part of lung tissue containing tumors is removed.
- Segmental resection: Here, doctors take out a segment of the lobe (one of the lung’s inner chambers) closest to the lung tumors.
- Lobectomy: A lobectomy allows doctors to remove an entire lobe so the cancer doesn’t spread to other areas of the body. It’s the most common lung cancer surgery, according to the American Lung Association (ALA).
- Sleeve resection: If cancer is found in part of the bronchus (a passage that feeds air into the lungs), doctors can perform a sleeve resection to remove the cancerous bronchus and closest lobe.
- Pneumonectomy: Doctors remove an entire lung with this surgery. This is only done in very severe cases.
Major surgery is not usually performed on late-stage NSCLC patients as doctors won’t be able to remove all the cancer. Doctors may use minor surgeries as a form of palliative care instead.
Surgery is also used to treat SCLC if doctors find just one cancer tumor in the lungs. However, fewer than 5% of SCLC patients will be able to undergo surgery.
It can take several months to recover from lung cancer surgery, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Some patients may suffer from side effects like fatigue, blood clotting, infections, and pneumonia.
But, the potential benefits of surgery, including the chance to be cured or achieve long-term survival, make it an important treatment to consider.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy uses medication to kill cancer cells. It is one of the most widely used lung cancer treatments. Chemotherapy can help treat SCLC and NSCLC at any stage.
Doctors can use lung cancer chemotherapy:
- By itself: Chemotherapy may be the main lung cancer treatment used in patients with stage 3 or stage 4 NSCLC if surgery isn’t possible.
- With surgeries: Doctors may give doses of chemotherapy before surgery to shrink tumors or after surgery to destroy cancer cells that may have been left behind.
- With radiation: Chemoradiation (chemotherapy and radiation therapy together) is often used to treat early-stage SCLC and advanced NSCLC.
- With other treatments: Chemotherapy can be used alongside immunotherapy or targeted therapy to treat cases of late-stage lung cancer.
Doctors will spread out your chemotherapy doses to limit side effects like fatigue and nausea. This is called giving chemotherapy in cycles.
Call (877) 446-5767 to get help affording chemotherapy and other lung cancer treatments. Our team can answer any questions you have.
Radiation
Radiation therapy (also known as radiotherapy) uses energy beams to destroy cancer cells and tumors. Doctors can use radiation therapy on its own or with other treatments to help lung cancer patients live longer.
Types of radiation for lung cancer include:
- External beam radiation therapy (EBRT): This is the most common type of radiation used to treat both SCLC and NSCLC. Doctors use a machine to send radiation through your lungs to kill cancer cells.
- Brachytherapy: Doctors put a radioactive substance directly into the body to shrink the tumors. It is also known as internal radiotherapy.
The type of lung cancer you have and how far it has spread will determine which type of radiation will be used.
Radiation can also destroy healthy cells along with cancerous ones, leading to side effects like hair loss and fatigue. Doctors will do all they can to limit these side effects.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy boosts the body’s immune system so it can fight cancer. The immune system normally knows how to kill bad cells or viruses.
However, since lung cancer cells are mutations of healthy ones, they may hide from the immune response. Immunotherapy prevents this so the cancer can be killed.
Immunotherapy drugs used to treat lung cancer include:
- Atezolizumab (Tecentriq®)
- Nivolumab (Opdivo®)
- Pembrolizumab (Keytruda®)
Immunotherapy can be used alongside other lung cancer treatments like chemotherapy to treat both SCLC and NSCLC.
Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide to find out more about how immunotherapy and other lung cancer treatments could help you.
- Understand risk factors
- Find top treatments
- Pursue compensation
Targeted Therapy
Lung cancer cells have mutations that set them apart from healthy cells. Targeted therapy medications allow doctors to hone in on these mutations to destroy the cancer.
Notable lung cancer targeted therapy options include:
- Bevacizumab (Avastin®)
- Lazertinib (Lazcluze®)
- Osimertinib (Tagrisso®)
- Ramucirumab (Cyramza®)
Lung cancer targeted therapy drugs focus on specific molecules and proteins. For example, Tagrisso blocks mutations with a protein called epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which promotes cancer growth.
Avastin is an angiogenesis inhibitor, and it blocks a protein that allows cancer to make blood vessels it needs to survive.
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) notes that targeted therapy doesn’t cause as much harm to healthy cells, so patients may have fewer side effects than if they were treated with chemotherapy or radiation.
Radiofrequency Ablation
With radiofrequency ablation, doctors insert a needle into a lung cancer tumor. The needle sends out electricity to kill cancer cells and shrink the tumor.
Doctors may use this type of treatment if surgery can’t be performed. They may use radiofrequency ablation by itself or along with chemotherapy and radiation for best results.
Clinical Trials and Lung Cancer Treatments
Doctors continue to perform lung cancer research in clinical trials to find other treatments that could help patients live longer and with fewer symptoms.
New lung cancer treatments being studied in clinical trials include:
- Cryoablation or freezing therapy
- Gene therapy
- New chemotherapies, immunotherapies, and surgeries
- Photodynamic (light-based) therapy
- Different combinations of existing treatments
Hundreds of lung cancer clinical trials are currently happening at thousands of hospitals and cancer centers across the country. Ask your doctor if you qualify for any lung cancer treatments offered in clinical trials.
Palliative Treatment for Lung Cancer
Palliative care is pain-relieving treatment. It can ease lung cancer symptoms and improve quality of life.
Doctors often recommend palliative care if a patient’s lung cancer is too advanced and other treatments won’t help them live longer. Palliative care for lung cancer can also be used alongside life-extending treatments.
Palliative care options for lung cancer include:
- Draining pleural effusions (fluid buildup in lung lining)
- Getting supplemental oxygen
- Giving low doses of radiation
- Inserting a catheter into the lung lining to drain fluid
- Placing a stent (small tube) in the airway to help with breathing
- Taking medications to ease pain and improve breathing
Contact us now to learn how we can help you access and afford palliative care and other treatments for lung cancer.
Alternative Lung Cancer Treatments
Alternative lung cancer treatments are those that can’t directly cure cancer, but may help to naturally ease some symptoms.
Notable alternative lung cancer treatments include:
- Acupuncture
- Aromatherapy
- Dietary supplements
- Meditation
- Tai chi
- Yoga
Always talk to your doctors before starting any alternative treatments. You shouldn’t replace standard treatments with alternative ones.
Some alternative treatments promise a miracle cure for cancer, and this is simply not true. Some can even be harmful without doctor supervision, such as substantially changing your diet or taking supplements that interfere with major treatments.
However, other alternative treatments may help you feel more calm and reduce symptoms as long as they’re done with the approval of your cancer care team.
How Lung Cancer Treatments Affect Prognosis
Lung cancer treatments are the main way to improve a patient’s prognosis (expected health outlook).
The average lung cancer prognosis is under two years, but with the right treatments, patients may be able to extend their life expectancy or become fully cured and long-term survivors.
In 2023, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) published a study of two different surgeries for early-stage NSCLC patients. The 5-year lung cancer survival rates were roughly 80% for both groups, meaning 8 out of 10 patients were still alive 5 years later.
Even late-stage patients can become lung cancer survivors thanks to treatments. For example, Jim was diagnosed with late-stage asbestos lung cancer in 2005 but thanks to a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, he is still alive today.
Types of Doctors Who Treat Lung Cancer
Many doctors across the country treat lung cancer. You may have more than one lung cancer doctor on your care team depending on which treatments you need.
Doctors providing treatments for lung cancer include:
- Medical oncologists: These doctors use chemotherapy and other drugs to shrink cancer tumors.
- Palliative care specialists: Work with these doctors to ease symptoms of lung cancer.
- Pathologists: These specialists study cells and can check a biopsy (tissue or fluid sample) to see if you have lung cancer.
- Pulmonologists: They specialize in lung-related disorders. They can help you manage breathing issues.
- Radiation oncologists: These doctors use radiation to kill cancer cells. They’ll determine which type of radiation will help you.
- Thoracic surgeons: These surgeons remove cancer tumors with different types of procedures.
Your primary care doctor can help you find specialists who treat lung cancer after you’re diagnosed.
Affording Lung Cancer Treatment Costs
Lung cancer treatments can be very costly. The cost of lung cancer care without insurance is over $140,000, according to a case study from the ACS. You may still have to pay tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket even if you have insurance.
A lung cancer diagnosis is stressful enough. Paying for lung cancer treatments shouldn’t be. Lung Cancer Group may be able to help you pursue compensation to cover the costs.
Here are some payouts our legal partners have secured for past lung cancer patients:
- $3 million for a Missouri woman
- $2.18 million for an Illinois electrician
- $2 million for a California construction worker
- $2 million for a New York railroad worker
- $1.95 million for a Colorado man
- $2.77 million for a Tennessee pipefitter
It’s possible to recover financial compensation since private manufacturers of asbestos-containing products actively hid the health risks for decades to make money, and may be directly responsible for your illness.
Get a free case review now to find out if you may be eligible to seek financial compensation after a lung cancer diagnosis.
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Get Help Finding Treatment Options for Lung Cancer
If you or a loved one has been recently diagnosed with lung cancer, you’ll need to get treatment to live longer. Doctors can use surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and more to help you.
With different lung cancer treatments, you might:
- Be considered cured
- Become a long-term survivor
- Live with less symptoms and pain
Lung Cancer Group has helped many other patients understand their treatment options and get the compensation needed to pay for medical care. We’ve secured millions of dollars for some patients, meaning they didn’t have any financial worries on top of dealing with a cancer diagnosis.
We may be able to assist you and your family too. Call (877) 446-5767 or get a Free Lung Cancer Guide now to learn more.
Lung Cancer Treatment Options FAQs
What is the most common treatment for lung cancer?
The most common treatments for lung cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. Which treatments will be used in your case depends on your cancer type, stage, and other factors.
For example, Yale Medicine notes that surgery is the benchmark treatment for patients with NSCLC that hasn’t spread very far. Patients with SCLC are usually treated with chemotherapy and radiation.
If you’ve been diagnosed with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), doctors typically use chemotherapy with surgery rarely being considered.
What is the best treatment for lung cancer?
The best lung cancer treatment will depend on your unique diagnosis. There’s not one uniform treatment that is considered the best.
In fact, doctors often recommend using multiple treatments together, such as surgically removing tumors and administering chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiation. This helps to destroy as much of the cancer as possible.
Contact us now for help understanding lung cancer treatments that could be used to help you or a loved one.
How is asbestos lung cancer treated?
Exposure to asbestos can cause any type of lung cancer, so treatments for asbestos lung cancer will not vary from other lung cancer treatments.
Options like surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and more will instead depend on the specific type of lung cancer — SCLC or NSCLC.
Is asbestos treated in the same way as mesothelioma?
No. Asbestos lung cancer is sometimes confused with mesothelioma, another asbestos-caused cancer that affects the linings of major organs.
Mesothelioma and asbestos lung cancer are two different types of cancers, so they require unique treatments. It’s important to get correctly diagnosed so you get the right treatments.
How does stage affect lung cancer treatment?
The stages of lung cancer can greatly affect the types of treatment you receive. Early-stage lung cancer is much easier to treat with options like surgery since it is contained in one area of your lung.
Late-stage lung cancer is harder to treat as tumors may have spread to other parts of your body like the lymph nodes, bones, or brain. Chemotherapy, radiation, and other treatments can shrink cancer tumors and help you live longer.
Doctors can recommend lung cancer treatments by stage after confirming your diagnosis.
How can I access lung cancer treatments?
Work with experienced lung cancer doctors to access the treatments that you need. Lung cancer specialists can recommend treatments based on your unique type, stage, overall health, and more.
Get a Free Lung Cancer Guide to learn more about getting top lung cancer treatments.
Can you survive with lung cancer?
Yes, it may be possible for you to survive lung cancer with treatment, no matter your diagnosis.
There are many accounts of lung cancer patients — even those diagnosed in later stages — living for 20 years or more.
Getting lung cancer treatments gives you the best chance of becoming a long-term survivor. Ask your doctor about which lung cancer treatments will be most effective in your case.
Can lung cancer be cured?
While there isn’t a cure for all cases of lung cancer, your doctor may consider you to be cured if the cancer is diagnosed and treated at an early stage.
In fact, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) notes that up to 90% of early-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients can be cured.
Even if you’re diagnosed with advanced lung cancer, you may still be able to live longer or possibly achieve remission (where signs of cancer are fully or partially gone) with treatment.
