The treatment of lung cancer depends on stage of cancer, type of cancer and the age of the patient. The general condition of the patient also have a great effect on the choice of treatment for him. For example if a person is suffering from asthma along with cancer he is not a candidate for surgery. Sometimes the side effects of the treatment are so serious that a physician prefers to treat the patient only symptomatically. For example the physician pays attention to the pain and difficult breathing rather than on the cancer itself.
There are two types of lung cancer small cell and non small cell. Small cell lung cancer is often treated by chemotherapy alone or with combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Surgery is not performed in this type of cancer as this type of cancer always spreads beyond the boundaries of the lung.
The chemotherapy is used to stop the dividing cancer cells. Chemotherapeutic drugs are always used in combinations. The disadvantage of chemotherapy is their hazardous side effects. Chemotherapeutic drugs have a effect on fast dividing cells in the body for example digestive tract and hair cells because of this we often see digestive tract disturbances and falling of hair in the patients taking chemotherapeutic drugs.
There are two types of radiation therapy which are used to treat lung cancer. First one is external and second one is internal. The external one is given in the form of radiations and internal one in the form of injections in the area around the tissue of tumor. Side effects can be redness in the area of skin which received the radiation. Difficulty in swallowing if esophagus is included in the area of radiation therapy. The radiotherapy can be used with chemotherapy or after the chemotherapy.
In the case of non small cell lung cancer surgery is the treatment of choice. Surgery is performed to remove small portion of the lung sometimes lobe and even whole lung is removed it completely depends on the stage of the disease.
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