What are the possible treatments for Lung Cancer?

Treatments for lung cancer may include surgery, external radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other supportive measures for palliation such as laser, internal radiation therapy, and medicines. Single or combined modalities treatments may be used depending upon the patient’s general health status.
a) Surgery
This treatment method offers the best chance of cure for patients who have early-stage lung cancer that has not spread beyond the lungs. The curative rate of surgery stands at more than 60% among patients in the earliest stage of disease. The volume of resection depends (depends) on the status of the malignant tumor. The operation may involve the removal of a tumor together with some surrounding tissue, while some may involve removal of a whole lobe or even one whole lung.
b) External radiotherapy
This may be given as curative therapy of early-stage lung cancer for patients who are not suitable for surgery because of being too old or having other diseases. Radiotherapy will be useful for destroying cancer cells in patients if there is local spread of tumor, surgically irremovable cancer cells left after operation, or symptoms caused by cancer spread (such as bone pain and brain metastases).
c) Chemotherapy
For patients with metastatic lung cancer, chemotherapeutic drugs (anticancer drugs) will be used to help stop cancer cells from dividing and multiplying. A single or combination of anticancer drugs will be injected into the patient’s body by way of intravenous infusion. The patient will need to take 3-4 weeks of rest before receiving another infusion, while usually 4-6 infusions are given during the whole course.
d) Targeted therapy
This targets at specific molecules involved in a certain tumor type. It causes fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy by having less impact on hematopoietic stem cells or the immune system. It is suitable for a certain specific type of metastatic lung cancer patient.