Treating Non Small Cell Lung Cancer
If you have a small cell lung cancer diagnosis, the good news is that there are a number of lung cancer treatments available. The type of treatment that you will get will depend on what type of lung cancer you have and how advanced your cancer is. It also depends on where the tumor is located and on your overall health and preferences. You may also need a few different types of treatments to help you to overcome your cancer.
Your doctor will be able to help you to decide on the best treatment plan for you and your needs:
1. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a very common way to treat cancer because it targets and kills cancer cells. It’s able to kill cancer cells quickly, and it’s typically a method that is used in conjunction with other treatments.
2. Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy helps you to get a stronger immune system with the use of certain drugs prescribed by your doctor. These drugs can attack cancer cells effectively and will give you a fighting chance to beat your cancer.
3. Radiation
Radiation can also kill cancer cells with the use of very powerful rays similar to x-rays. Large beam radiation is capable of penetrating through the skin and can kill your tumor or tumors. If your doctor used internal radiation, you will have minuscule radioactive pellets placed into your tumor in order to kill it.
4. Surgery
Surgery is another option and is also one of the best ways to deal with a small cell lung cancer diagnosis. Surgery involves removing the cancer and is a good option if you have a small tumor that is located on your lung. It does come with some risk as it’s located in your lungs but it is possible, and if you have affected lymph nodes you can also have the cancer removed from there as well.
5. Targeted Therapy
Another option is known as “targeted therapy.” This type of therapy uses drugs that will target certain proteins and gene changes in cancer cells. This means that these types of drugs will prevent cancer cells from spreading and growing.