Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Treatment by Stage
How It’s Defined
If the cancer has spread only to lymph nodes on the same side of the chest where it began, it’s called stage IIIA.
Treatment Options
Chemotherapy and radiation: If you can stand the side effects, treatment usually starts with chemo. It might be combined with radiation.
Surgery: If you’re healthy enough and your doctor thinks there’s a good chance he can remove any cancer that remains, he may suggest surgery. In some cases, it may be his first choice of treatment. It’s often followed by chemotherapy and sometimes radiation. The type of surgery depends on size and location of the tumor, how far the cancer has spread into the lymph nodes, and whether you’ve had surgery before.
How It’s Defined
The cancer has spread to lymph nodes near the opposite lung or in your neck. These cancers can’t be completely removed by surgery.
Treatment Options
Chemotherapy with radiation: Again, treatment depends on your overall health and how you can handle the treatments. If you’re in fairly good health, chemo and radiation might improve your condition.
Radiation or chemotherapy: If you can’t handle the combo treatment, you’ll probably get radiation therapy alone. Chemo by itself is less common.
Clinical trials: These cancers can be difficult to treat, so you may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial of newer treatments.
How It’s Defined
The cancer has spread to both lungs, to fluid in the area surrounding the lungs, or to other organs.
Treatment Options:
Chemotherapy and radiation: A cancer that’s spread to distant sites in your body can be hard to cure. As long as you’re in fairly good health and can handle the side effects, treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can ease your symptoms and help you live longer.
Targeted therapy: A test can tell your doctor if your cancer will respond to one of these new treatments. These drugs only attack cancer cells and do little damage to healthy cells nearby. They don’t work for everyone, and some are still in trial phase and not on the market yet. If there’s one that might work for you, your doctor can help you find out more about how to get into a clinical trial.
Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Treatment by Stage
In this article
STAGE IIIA
How It’s Defined
If the cancer has spread only to lymph nodes on the same side of the chest where it began, it’s called stage IIIA.
Treatment Options
Chemotherapy and radiation: If you can stand the side effects, treatment usually starts with chemo. It might be combined with radiation.
Surgery: If you’re healthy enough and your doctor thinks there’s a good chance he can remove any cancer that remains, he may suggest surgery. In some cases, it may be his first choice of treatment. It’s often followed by chemotherapy and sometimes radiation. The type of surgery depends on size and location of the tumor, how far the cancer has spread into the lymph nodes, and whether you’ve had surgery before.
STAGE IIIB
How It’s Defined
The cancer has spread to lymph nodes near the opposite lung or in your neck. These cancers can’t be completely removed by surgery.
Treatment Options
Chemotherapy with radiation: Again, treatment depends on your overall health and how you can handle the treatments. If you’re in fairly good health, chemo and radiation might improve your condition.
Radiation or chemotherapy: If you can’t handle the combo treatment, you’ll probably get radiation therapy alone. Chemo by itself is less common.
Clinical trials: These cancers can be difficult to treat, so you may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial of newer treatments.
STAGE IV
How It’s Defined
The cancer has spread to both lungs, to fluid in the area surrounding the lungs, or to other organs.
Treatment Options:
Chemotherapy and radiation: A cancer that’s spread to distant sites in your body can be hard to cure. As long as you’re in fairly good health and can handle the side effects, treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can ease your symptoms and help you live longer.
Targeted therapy: A test can tell your doctor if your cancer will respond to one of these new treatments. These drugs only attack cancer cells and do little damage to healthy cells nearby. They don’t work for everyone, and some are still in trial phase and not on the market yet. If there’s one that might work for you, your doctor can help you find out more about how to get into a clinical trial.
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