Lung Cancer Treatment Options Beating Lung Cancer

True in most cases, the treatment of cancer depends on several factors. When a lung cancer is staged, the physician and the patient can now discuss each treatment, which will be necessary. Patients must be informed about the side effects and possible outcome of a particular procedure.

Everything must be cleared in advance to avoid regret. Other factors taken into account include the patient's general health, medical problems that may affect treatment (e.g. chemotherapy), and tumor characteristics.

The characteristics of a lung tumor helps doctors distinguish patients into two groups: those with low risk of cancer again and persons at high risk for cancer again.

Surgical resection is performed in patients whose cancer has not spread beyond the lungs. This is done through the following: thoracotomy - opening of the chest wall for surgical procedures - and median sternotomy - surgery performed by cutting through the sternum.

Other approaches include anterior limited thoractomy (ALT), thoractomy out on the front chest with a small incision anterioraxillary thoracotomy (AAT), thoracotomy performed in the anterior chest near the underarm, and posterolateral thoracotomy (PLT) thoracotomy performed at the rear / side region in the trunk . ALT, in particular, is less invasive than standard thoractomy - that is, it involves less disturbance of the body through cuts or other drastic measures. ALT may result in less surgical blood loss, less postoperative drainage, and less postoperative pain than standard thoracotomy.

Last, other less invasive procedures are performed for removal of tumorous tissue. For example, video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT), also known as video-assisted thoracic surgery (vascular). This procedure uses a video camera to help imagine and act on the lung in the chest cavity. The surgical incisions made during VAT are more smaller than those required for thoracotomy or sternotomy.

But, doctors warn that VAT is not really possible complete lung examination to identify and remove metastases not detected by preoperative radiograph of the chest. VAT is appropriate for Stage 1 and Stage 2 cancers that require lobectomy (surgical removal of a lung lobule) with lymphadenectomy (removal of one or more lymph nodes) and peripheral (outer edge) lung tumors that can be removed by wedge resection.

Chemotherapy is the best solution together with radiotherapy if the tumor is more aggressive and widespread.

Photodynamic therapy is most suitable for patients with inoperable lung cancer. It begins with shots of a light-activated drug (eg photofrin / polyhaematoporphyrin, Lumines). So during the investigation of the airways using a flexible scope lung tumor is illuminated by a laser that transmits light of a specific wavelength. The laser light is used to destroy sensitized tumor tissue.

Skin photosensitivity and photosensitivity is a side effect of PDT. The curative potential of PDT is the most exciting aspect of this treatment in patients with lung cancer whose tumors are invisible on chest X-rays. The tissue-sparing effect of PDT may be particularly important for people with reduced lung function.

Electro-surgery is performed using a needle, bulb, or disk electrode. Nd-YAG laser therapy (neodymium-yttrium/argon laser that concentrates high-energy electromagnetic radiation to destroy tissue), cryotherapy (destruction of tissue using extreme cold), and brachytherapy (treatment with ionizing radiation) are additional tumor size - mitigation techniques can be performed during bronchoscopy.

Radiotherapy - better known as radiation therapy - uses high energy radiation to kill cancer cells.

Cancer cells often than not proliferate faster than other bodily tissues, they are affected by radiation, which prevents cell division and formation of DNA.

Unfortunately, bodily tissues, which also splits quickly as hair and skin is very sensitive to radiotherapy. Most side effects of this treatment include hair loss and skin disorders, such as skin redness due to blood vessel congestion, purities, itching, peeling, sloughing off the outer layer of skin, pain, atrophy, shrinking, increased pigmentation, edema, swelling), and fetal damage, increased susceptibility to infection, tachycardia (increased heart rate), changes in taste perception, anorexia (loss of appetite), malaise, nausea and vomiting.

A good doctor will discuss all options with their patients, and possible side effects.