Hong Kong Cancer Fund

There are a few different types of treatment for lung cancer (with different aims):

	Surgery
	This is used to remove all the cancer in the hope of a cure
	Chemotherapy
	This is a course of drugs given to kill or control the cancer cells
	Radiotherapy
	This is a course of x-rays given to kill or control the cancer
	Laser treatment
	This is used to control the cancer cells. It is used to unblock airways full of tumour, but it does not cure the cancer.

Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be used alone, or together, to treat lung cancer of the lung.

Your doctor will plan your treatment by taking into consideration a number of factors including:

	your age
	general health
	the type and size of the tumour, what it looks like under the microscope
	whether it has spread beyond the lung

Surgery

When the tumour is away from the centre of the chest and there is little or no spread

The type of operation chosen will depend upon the size and position of the tumour

Type of the Operation

	Wedge resection: remove a small part of the lung
	Lobectomy: removal of a lobe of the lung
	Pneumonectomy: removal of an entire lung

Radiotherapy

	Radiotherapy treats cancer by using high energy rays which destroy the cancer cells, while doing as little harm as possible to normal cells
	It may be used alone or after surgery to treat all types of lung cancer.
	There are two kinds of radiotherapy: External and internal radiotherapy

Side effects

	Radiotherapy for lung cancer seldom causes side effects although there may sometimes be some nausea
	If you do have problems with sickness, they can usually be treated with drugs.
	The main problem you are likely to notice, towards the end of your course of treatment, is that you have difficulty in swallowing, and you may find that drinking very hot or cold liquids is uncomfortable
	These side effects should disappear gradually once your course of treatment is over, but it is important to let your doctor know if they continue
	Radiotherapy can cause hair loss in the area being treated, but the hair usually grows back again within a few months once the treatment is over

Chemotherapy

	Chemotherapy is the use of special anti-cancer (cytotoxic) drugs to destroy cancer cells
	They work by disrupting the growth of cancer cells
	This treatment is used for most people with small cell Lung cancer
	The drugs are sometimes given as tablets or, more usually, intravenously (by injection into a vein)
	Chemotherapy is given as a course of treatment usually lasting a few days
	This is followed by a rest period of a few weeks which allows your body to recover from any side effects of the treatment
	The number of courses you have will depend on the type of cancer you have and how well it is responding to the drugs.
	Chemotherapy may be given to you as an outpatient but often it will mean spending a few days in hospital

Side effects

Side effects may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and sometimes hair loss, mouth sores and small ulcers.