Treatment - Chemotherapy

Lung cancer treatments vary a great deal and very dependant upon a patient by patient basis. Often, in certain types of lung cancer, direct operation on the cancer is ruled out for any number of reasons depending on type of lung cancer, location of the cancer, or health complications of another nature. In this case most often patients will seek to treat their cancer through a specialist in chemotherapy of radio therapy. Chemotherapy specifically is a widely used method to treat most cancers. Chemotherapeutic methods of treatment refer to the use of anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to eliminate cancer cells and hinder any further growth of cancer cells. Typically these agents are circulated through the blood to kill any cancer cells they may encounter. Chemotherapy, with regards to lung cancer, is versatile in its ability to treat small cell and non-small cell lung cancers unlike surgery.

Small-cell lung cancer's treatment options are typically limited because of the aggressive nature of the cell growth and its tendency to spread in the body prior to diagnosis. Chemotherapy however, is a treatment option for many of those diagnosed with small cell lung carcinomas. In fact, chemotherapy is widely regarded as the best treatment for small cell lung cancer for two reasons. For one, other types have of treatment have been considerably less effective in small cases. In addition, small cell cases tend to have microscopic spread in the body before they are diagnosed. Surgery and radio therapy are considered local treatments, while chemo has the ability to treat the entire body, including stray cancer cells isolated from their origin such as those that spread in small cell cases. The most common chemical cocktail used in the small cell chemotherapy is a blend of Cisplatin and etoposide. These agents will neutralize, if not eliminate local cancer growths, as well as treat the cancer cells which may have spread to other regions of the body.

With regards to non-small cell cancers, chemotherapy is typically not as effective because these cancers are not as likely to spread, deeming surgical extraction and radio therapy as more likely treatment options. Increasing however, chemotherapeutic treatments are being integrated into non-small lung cancer patient overall treatment programs. Use of chemotherapy following a surgical therapy is common to inhibit the reoccurrence of the tumors. It may also be used separately or in conjunction with radio therapies. The chemo may also be used to treat recurring symptoms.

Most chemotherapy is administered via injection or through intravenous drip. There are howerer, some chemotherapy treatments for lung cancer that are ingested orally. Each cancer patient's cases are different, so exact drug cocktails and regimens will also be different for each person. Typically, a chemotherapy treatment is given over 2-3 days under a physicians care. The patient will then rest for 3-4 weeks to allow the body time to get over the side effects before another treatment is administered. These treatments can usually be administered in an outpatient capacity in which you can go home afterwards with side-effect medications, should you need them. The frequency and number of treatments will depend on a number of variables including what type of cancer is being treated, how the body is responding to treatment, and how the body is coping with the side effects.