| Lung cancer patients must fight for life against | | | | In more severe cases of cancer you can consider |
| cancer. It can be very difficult and it can be a | | | | target drug therapy, clinical trials, or supportive |
| long, difficult battle, but it is most definitely | | | | care. Target drug therapy is relatively new, and |
| possible. As with all cancer patients, you will | | | | there are two different kinds. Tarceva target |
| always have a better chance of survival the | | | | drug therapy stops the cancer cells from growing |
| earlier the cancer is found and treated. Fast | | | | and dividing, while Bevacizumab kills the tumor by |
| detection and treatment can help ensure | | | | stopping its blood supply. Clinical trials are optional |
| recovery, while cancer found in the later stages | | | | treatments by a variety of doctors. They are |
| can be very difficult to recover from. | | | | their latest theories for curing cancer. Clinical trials |
| No matter what stage of lung cancer you are in, | | | | are never guaranteed, but being a part of them |
| you need to be considering treatment. Treatment | | | | will assist the doctors in finding a true cure for |
| is the key for recovery. You want the best | | | | lung cancer. Supportive care is used to help keep |
| treatment for your body that will eliminate all of | | | | you comfortable. In supportive care you are no |
| the cancer cells. There are many treatment | | | | longer fighting the cancer, you are just relaxing |
| options that we will discuss here briefly. | | | | and enjoying the rest of your life. |
| Surgical treatment options, in order of | | | | After treatment of lung cancer one always has a |
| complications, are wedge resection, lobectomy, | | | | better chance of survival. While sometimes it may |
| and pneumonectomy. Wedge resection can be | | | | not seem long (3 to 5 years), it is better than the |
| used to diagnose lung cancer or to remove a | | | | 4 to 5 months you would have had without the |
| small tumor, while lobectomy is the removal of | | | | surgery. After treatment your life will change |
| the lobe of the lung, to remove all of the cancer | | | | drastically. It is best if you develop a great |
| and tumor. Pneumonectomy is used as a last | | | | support system within your family, and it also is a |
| resort to get rid of cancer, but only in early | | | | good idea to join cancer or lung cancer support |
| stage, healthy patients. Pneumonectomy is the | | | | groups. You can share your story, plus listen to |
| removal of the entire lung, so the complications | | | | others. |
| are high, but it reduces your risk of reoccurring | | | | Also, after diagnosis of lung cancer and after any |
| cancer significantly. | | | | treatment the patient should always keep all |
| Other treatment options for lung cancer are | | | | scheduled appointments with their doctor. |
| chemotherapy and radiation therapy. They are | | | | Follow-up appointments are very important to |
| often used in combination with one another. | | | | ensure proper recovery and to keep an eye on |
| Chemotherapy is the use and combination of | | | | the cancer to be sure that it is not coming back. |
| many different drugs to help kill cancer cells, while | | | | Patients should also notify their doctor of any |
| radiation therapy is the use of high-powered | | | | complications, abnormalities, or health problems |
| beams used to kill cancer cells. | | | | that they are occurring in between appointments. |