How is non-small cell lung cancer treated?

The type of treatment you will receive for your non-small cell cancer will be dependent on the stage of cancer you have.

Stage I lung cancer is when the cancer has not moved beyond the lung. Treatments for Stage I non-small cell cancer are surgery to remove a portion of your lung, followed by chemotherapy, which is the treatment of cancer with drugs.

Stage II lung cancer is when the cancer has spread to either the lymph nodes or to other areas right next to the place where the tumor started, such as the heart wall or diaphragm. Treatments for Stage II non-small cell cancer are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, which is the treatment of cancer using beams of energy.

Stage III lung cancer is when the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes or to other areas on the opposite side of the body from where the tumor started. Treatments for Stage III non-small cell cancer are chemotherapy and radiation combined, and sometimes surgery.

Stage IV lung cancer is when the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, or metastasized. This is the last stage of cancer and is most often fatal. For this reason, in addition to chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy, if you have Stage IV cancer, you may want to take part in clinical trials of new drugs or simply look into supportive care.