Lung cancer treatment: What you need to know?

Posted by skhealth on January 18th, 2017

Lung cancer has been recognized has one of the most leading causes of cancer related death in bothgenders when compared with other types of cancer. Although this statistics is declining in men, the rate of death due to this cancer remains same in women, following an increase during the 1990's. The lung cancer related deaths are largely attributed by the smoking habit, which is done over the past several decades. Normally, the American Cancer Society (ACS)identified approximately 215,020 new cases and the cases that are scheduled to be diagnosed are 161,870 in the US alone. Although, the figure and facts presented in this article are relatively old, the fact is people are still borne to lung cancer and the main attribute that causes this deathly cancer is smoking.

Lung cancer is treated via surgery, targeted therapies, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, andphotodynamic therapy. However, the treatment suggested by the professionals solely depend depends on what kind of cancer a person have, and what stage he is, which means how serious it is. In the case of surgery is found necessary, professionals suggest any of the following therapy as there are different types of surgeries recommended to treat lung cancer, like pneumonectomy – where the person lungs are completely removed; lobectomy - where a particular section, which is referred as "lobe" of the lung is removed;Segmentectomy/wedge resection – where the affected areas of a lobe is removed, laser surgery - where the high-energy laser beam are directed towards the cancer cells, which kills them immediately.

When the radiation therapy is recommended by the surgeon the mitigate lung cancer, the patient is subjected towards high-energy radiation that kills cancer cells immediately. The radiation is generated from a machine which directs the high-energy rays towards thy cancer cell, or by a small radioactive pellet, which is implanted in or near the tumour.

When the chemotherapy is recommended by the professional for a Lung Cancer Treatment the mitigate lung cancer, the patient is advised totake anti-cancer drugs, which is either to be swallowed or injected into hisveins. One or more chemotherapy drugs, as per doctor’s direction, administered via a vein in patient’s arm (intravenously) or given orally. A combination of drugs normally is administered on patients in a series of therapies over a period of weeks or months, by giving suitable in between so that a patient body can recover.

In the case of targeted drug therapy, a patient has to undergo newer cancer treatments that work by targeting a particular set of abnormalities in cancer cells. Targeted therapy options for treating lung cancer are explained below;

Bevacizumab (Avastin), that stops a tumour from creating a new blood supply. The blood vesselsconnected to the tumoursupplies oxygen and nutrients to the tumour/cancer cells,which is necessary to survive therebyallowing them to grow. Bevacizumab is normally used in combination with chemotherapy, which is an approved treatment for advanced and recurrent longer cell lung cancer.

Erlotinib (Tarceva) therapy blocks the chemicals, which signal the tumour cells to grow and divide. This therapy is suggested for people suffering from advanced and recurrent longer cell lung cancer that haven't been mitigated by chemotherapy.

About the Author:

SKhealth is a professional blogger who likes to write about all medical related topics. He shares all hair transplant, Health Care Medical Center cancer treatment ideas and more ideas.