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Lung cancer treatment involves a combination of methods and approaches. The outlook depends mainly on the stage, severity, and type of lung cancer. Lung cancer is a complex disease and requires individualized treatment. With the hard work and commitment of doctors and researchers, a comprehensive range of lung cancer treatment options are available that have significantly improved the survival rate and quality of life of cancer patients.
The most common treatment options for lung cancer include:
- Surgery: Surgery is the most common treatment for most cases of lung cancer. With the use of minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and robot-assisted thoracic surgery, survival and recovery rates have increased significantly.
- Radiation therapy: People who cannot undergo surgery for any reason can always opt for radiation therapy as an effective alternative. In this therapy, the patient is exposed to different types of radiation that destroy cancer cells while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue. Technological advances such as stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and proton therapy have contributed to making radiation therapy more effective.
- Chemotherapy: This therapy is a long-term treatment for cancer. It has evolved over time with the introduction of immunotherapy and targeted therapy. It uses strong drugs and medicines to destroy cancer cells which often results in serious side effects like weakness, hair loss and others. Chemotherapy stops the growth of cancer cells while also damaging the surrounding healthy cells and tissues.
- Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is a method of stimulating the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. This therapy empowers the body’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, leading to sustainable and long survival rates.
- Targeted therapy: Targeted treatment identifies and attacks cancer cells with less damage to surrounding cells. Recently, targeted therapies for lung cancer have become more advanced and readily available.
In addition, researchers continue to look for further technological advances in the field of lung cancer treatment. Professionals are adopting two or more combination therapies to treat cancer, further increasing the chances of better outcomes in lung cancer treatment.
Lung cancer treatment has benefited cancer patients in many ways resulting in a change in their lives resulting in an overall healthier life. As a result of technological progress:
- Improved survival rates: Early detection, screening and targeted treatment have resulted in increased survival rates and improved quality of life for cancer patients.
- Personalized treatment: With advanced technology, personalized treatment is available for cancer patients based on their genetic profile, and type of cancer.
- Fewer side effects: Targeted therapies and immunotherapy are believed to have fewer side effects on patients than conventional treatment options.
Treatment for lung cancer has greatly benefited people in reducing the burden of the disease. It has improved their quality of life and provided longer survival.
The author is Senior Consultant and Head – Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Paras Health, Gurugram. The views expressed in the above article are personal and belong solely to the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of Firstpost.
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