Lung cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the lung tissues and can be grouped into two main types: small cells and non-small cells. An individual might have varied symptoms that could indicate the presence of lung cancer. Since the signs might also be similar to other health conditions, one would be required to get a biopsy to determine the cancer size and stage for the oncologist to come up with management options.
Here are a few things to know about the management of this cancer type:
Diagnosis methods
There are various diagnostic methods to determine the presence of lung cancer. A few tests are mentioned below:
1. Imaging tests
An imaging test takes pictures of the body and can show the location and size of the lung cancer. The tests often include X-rays, MRIs, CT, and positron emission tomography (PET scan). Imaging tests might be carried out for various regions, including looking at suspicious areas that might be cancer, determining how far the cancer has spread, assessing whether the treatment is working, and looking for possible signs of cancer recurring after treatment.
2. Sputum cytology
Sputum is mucus coughed up from the lungs. If an individual coughs up sputum, it can be collected and studied under a microscope. The mucus can sometimes show signs of cancerous cells. The test is more likely to find cancers that start in the major airway of the lung, such as squamous cell lung cancers.
3. Biopsy
This method requires the removal of tissue for testing in a lab. The healthcare team may perform a lung cancer biopsy through various methods. One method includes a bronchoscopy, where a lighted tube with a camera is passed down the patient’s throat into the lungs to examine the area while special tools are passed through to collect tissue samples. Other procedures include a mediastinoscopy or a needle biopsy.
Management options
A healthcare professional may recommend various management options based on one’s diagnosis. These are as follows:
1. Surgery
The management options involve removing the lung cancer and other healthy tissue around it. There are various surgical procedures for lung cancer.
- A wedge resection is done to remove a small section of the lung that contains the cancer, along with a margin of healthy tissue.
- In a segmental resection, the surgeon removes a larger portion of the lung but not the entire lobe.
- A lobectomy is indicated for the removal of the entire lobe of one lung.
- To remove the entire lung, an expert might follow the pneumonectomy surgical procedure.
2. Radiation therapy
Cancer is treated with powerful energy beams from sources like X-rays and protons in this method. The patient has to lie down while a machine moves around them. It directs radiation to precise points in the body to eliminate cancerous cells.
3. Chemotherapy
The therapy helps treat cancer with strong prescriptions that could be administered orally or intravenously. One receives a combination of prescriptions in a series of treatments over weeks or months. This management method eliminates cancerous cells that may remain after surgery or before surgery to shrink the harmful cells, making extraction easier.
