Esta página en español

Diagnosis and Treatment

A person’s lung cancer diagnosis depends on the type of lung cancer present. The two main types of lung cancer are small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Non-small cell lung cancer is more common than small cell lung cancer. These categories refer to what the cancer cells look like under a microscope.

The extent of disease is referred to as the stage. Information about how big a cancer is or how far it has spread is often used to determine the stage. Doctors use information about stage to plan treatment and to monitor progress.

For more information about stages of lung cancer, visit the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Physician Data Query (PDQ) sites on Stages of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Stages of Small Cell Lung Cancer.

There are several ways to treat lung cancer. The treatment depends on the type of lung cancer and how far it has spread. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. People with lung cancer often get more than one kind of treatment. (Visit the NCI PDQ for more information about treatments for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Small Cell Lung Cancer. This site also has a directory of healthcare providers involved in cancer care. See also "Related Links" for more information about treatment and links to aids that can help with treatment choices.¹)

Surgery
Doctors cut out and remove cancer tissue in an operation.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to shrink or kill the cancer. The drugs could be pills or medicines given through an IV (intravenous) tube. Sometimes chemotherapy includes both IV drugs and pills.

Radiation
Radiation uses high-energy rays (similar to x-rays) to try to kill the cancer cells. The rays are aimed at the part of the body where the cancer is.

These treatments may be provided by different doctors on your medical team. Pulmonologists are doctors that are experts in diseases of the lungs. Surgeons are doctors that perform operations. Medical oncologists are doctors that are experts in cancer and treat cancers with medicines. Radiation oncologists are doctors that treat cancers with radiation.

Clinical Trials
People with lung cancer may want to take part in a clinical trial. Clinical trials study new potential treatment options. Visit the NCI, National Institutes of Health (NIH), and American Cancer Society (ACS) sites listed below for more information about finding clinical trials.

• Learning About Clinical Trials
• PDQ
• Finding Clinical Trials
• Clinical Trials
• Clinical Trials*

Complementary and Alternative Medicine
For information about complementary and alternative medicine, visit the Physician Data Query site on Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

A recent review of cancer care in the United States found that some cancer patients are not benefiting from advances in cancer care as much as others. To learn more about these issues, visit the Institute of Medicine Reports on Ensuring Quality Cancer Care* and The Unequal Burden of Cancer.* ^{2 3}

References

1. DeVita VT, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA. Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 6th Edition.
2. Institute of Medicine (IOM), National Research Council, National Cancer Policy Board. Ensuring Quality Cancer Care. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1999.
3. Institute of Medicine (IOM), Committee on Cancer Research Among Minorities and the Medically Underserved. The Unequal Burden of Cancer.* National Academy Press, Washington, D.C., 1999.
    

*Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.