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Jenna Foley

ENG 1201

Professor Hunter

21 March 2021

What are the most successful treatments for Lung Cancer?

The leading cause of cancer death in both men and women is lung cancer. It is a

life threatening disease that begins in the lungs and mostly occurs in people who

smoke. As one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, it is also the deadliest

(Durosini). You and your doctor choose the treatment type based on which type and

stage of lung cancer it is, how your overall health is, and what your personal

preferences are (“Lung Cancer”). Choosing the most successful type of cancer

treatment is important for expanding your life span and managing symptoms.

Understanding the history and outcomes of lung cancer patients from five to ten

years ago is important in deciding what treatment is the best option (“What is the

Success Rate of Lung Cancer Treatments?”). Based on the past decade, it has been

noted that survival rates are higher and treatments are more successful when a patient

is diagnosed with early-stage cancer, they are younger than 50 years old when they are

diagnosed, and they have non-small cell lung cancer rather than small cell lung cancer.

Researchers discovered this information by studying the history of lung cancer patients

to help improve treatment options for future patients. There have been recent advances

in treatments, including hormone therapy and immunotherapy that are steadily

improving everyday (“What is the Success Rate of Lung Cancer Treatments?”).

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One of the most common and recommended types of treatment is having

surgery. The goal is to remove the lung tumor and the nearby lymph nodes in the chest

(Cancer.net). The most effective way to remove a tumor from the lungs is to have a

lobectomy. This is when the surgeon removes an entire lobe from one of the lungs,

taking the tumor with it. If the surgeon is unable to remove an entire lobe, then they will

perform a wedge resection, which removes just the small portion of the lung that has the

tumor in it. Not only removing the tumor is important, but also the lymph nodes in the

chest. The doctors will check these for any signs of cancer as well (“Lung Cancer”).

Surgery is the best option if the cancer is confined to the lungs.

If the cancer is larger, then radiation therapy is recommended. Doctors use high

energy x-rays to destroy cancer cells or stop them from growing. There are two types,

including external and internal radiation therapy. External is the use of a large machine

outside of the body directed at the part of the body that has cancer. Internal therapy

uses a radioactive substance in a needle or wire that is placed directly into the body part

with cancer (National Cancer Institute). Radiation therapy is important for treatment of

widespread cancer and it may also relieve symptoms, such as pain.

Another successful treatment that researchers recommend is chemotherapy.

This method of treatment is the use of drugs to kill and stop the growth of cancer cells.

These drugs can be taken orally or injected into a vein. Normally, they are given in a

series of treatments over a period of months, with breaks in between (“Lung Cancer”).

This treatment has been known to relieve pain and other symptoms.

Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that uses the immune system and boosts

the body’s natural defenses to fight cancer. Materials made by the body or in a
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laboratory are used to boost, direct, or restore the body’s natural defenses against

cancer (National Cancer Institute). Immunotherapy treatments are used for patients with

advanced lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

Even though these treatments have been researched and proven as the most

effective, there are negative side effects to some. People who undergo radiation therapy

normally experience fatigue, loss of appetite, sore throat, difficulty swallowing, and

shortness of breath. Along with this, patients may also notice some skin irritation where

the radiation was directed. Chemotherapy has a chance of damaging some healthy

cells in the body, including blood, skin, and nerve cells.

The possible best treatments for lung cancer are those that directly kill or get rid

of cancer cells and tumors. However, deciding on what method to use is mostly based

on what type and what stage the lung cancer is. The best option would be surgery if the

cancer cells are only in the lungs and haven’t spread anywhere else in the body.

Surgery treatment removes the portion or lobe of the lung that has the tumor in it,

getting rid of the cancer completely. If the cancer has spread to other parts of the body,

then radiation and chemotherapy are the best options. These treatments directly kill and

stop the growth of cancer cells, while also relieving pain and other symptoms. Overall,

these three methods are the most successful based on research, but more learning

could provide me with more information about the highs and lows of lung cancer

treatments.
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Works Cited

Cancer.Net, 2021, www.cancer.net/.

Durosini, Ilaria. “Patient Preferences for Lung Cancer Treatment: A Qualitative

Study Protocol Among Advanced Lung Cancer Patients.” Shibboleth

Authentication Request, Frontiers Media S.A., 2021, doaj-

org.sinclair.ohionet.org/article/785adc43ecb8474ba73ba923119fd609.

“Lung Cancer.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and

Research, 10 Oct. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lung-

cancer/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374627#:~:text=If%20surgery%20isn't

%20an,relieve%20symptoms%2C%20such%20as%20pain.

National Cancer Institute, 2021, www.cancer.gov.

“What Is the Success Rate of Lung Cancer Treatments?” Moffitt Cancer Center,

moffitt.org/cancers/lung-cancer/faqs/what-is-the-success-rate-of-lung-cancer-

treatments/.