Internal view of the lungs
Lung cancer is difficult to catch in the early stages as symptoms many times aren't present until the cancer advances. Patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer do not have a good prognosis with the treatments available and should therefore highly consider partaking in clinical trials. However, depending on diagnosis and staging, there are other alternatives that patients should also consider in conjunction with clinical trials.
Diagnosis
Clinicians diagnosing patient stats
If you are diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, you could have several forms of it, depending on the cells the cancer originated from. The most common of this disease is squamous cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. After being positively diagnosed, doctors will start the staging process with you and determine the extent of your cancer. Survival rates and treatment are dependent on the cancer stage.
Staging
Clinicians reviewing images
Further testing will be conducted to determine whether and where the cancer spread (metastasized) within the lungs or elsewhere in the body. Treatment options are dependent on the information gathered in the staging process. Some tests used to diagnose the disease also help determine the cancer stage, but further laboratory testing, MRIs, radionuclide bone scans and endoscopic ultrasounds (EUS) may be necessary to determine the stage of non-small cell lung cancer.
Stages
X-ray of lungs and chest cavity
There are four cancer stages associated with this disease, but the primary focus here is on stage-three non-small cell lung cancer. In this stage there are two phases to it, IIIA and IIIB. Prognosis is low for anyone with this disease, but it varies greatly between these phases of stage three. Prognosis of the five-year survival rate for stage IIIA is between 10 and 40 percent, while stage IIIB is 5 percent. Treatment options between stage IIIA and IIIB are similar.
Stage IIIA
Patient being administered drug treatment
Cancer tumors invade the chest wall, diaphragm, pleura and pericardium. Cancer removed through surgical procedure may be treated with a systemic chemotherapy treatment (affecting whole body) and clinical trial treatment. Cancer unable to be surgically removed may still be treated with: surgery and chemotherapy; chemotherapy in conjunction with localized radiation treatment; or external radiation if chemotherapy and radiation combination treatments are unfeasible. Cancer in the superior sulcus (known as a Pancoast tumor) is treated solely with: radiation therapy; radiation and surgery; surgery only; chemotherapy with radiation and surgery; or a clinical trial. Chest wall tumors are treated with: surgery; surgery and radiation; solely radiation; or chemotherapy in conjunction with radiation and surgery.
Stage IIIB
Patient receiving treatment
For cancerous cells in stage IIIB patients that have metastasized to the mediastinum (blood vessels, bones, esophagus, heart or trachea), treatment may include chemotherapy in combination with external radiation treatment. External radiation may be done to improve quality of life and relieve symptoms and pain as a form of palliative care, but full recovery is not expected. Clinical trials are also recommended.
Tags: cell lung, cell lung cancer, non-small cell, non-small cell lung, conjunction with, lung cancer, radiation surgery
