Lung cancer treatment

This section is intended to provide you with some information on the treatment of lung cancer. It obviously cannot cover all the aspects of treatment and if you have any particular questions or concerns, you should talk to your doctor.

The treatment you are offered by your doctor will be determined by your general health and the type and stage of the tumour and may include surgery or treatment with radiation (radiotherapy) or anti-cancer drugs. Some tumours cannot be removed by surgery either because of their size or location. In addition, your doctor may not wish you to undergo surgery for other medical reasons, for example if you also suffer from heart disease.

If your cancer is more advanced, doctors will offer treatment to control and manage some of the effects and symptoms such as pain, and breathing problems. Three types of standard treatment are used: