News & Information

November 2012 is Lung Cancer Awareness Month! If you’re a lung cancer survivor, a supporter, or just curious, November is the best time to start asking questions and getting informed. Visit http://www.lungcanceralliance.org/ for a list of organizations that are fighting lung cancer, and ways you can get involved this month.

There are three main avenues of treatment for lung cancer; depending on how serious your case is, your doctor may recommend surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or some combination of these treatments. In addition, you may decide to explore some form of alternative medicine or clinical trials.

Surgery is the most common form of treatment for lung cancer that has not metastasized (spread beyond the chest area). Surgery can be slightly to extremely invasive; the more serious the cancer, the larger the portion of lung tissue that will have to be removed.

The three main types of surgery are wedge resection (removal of a small, wedge-shaped piece of lung containing the tumor and some healthy tissue); lobectomy (removal of a lung lobe that contains cancer); and pneumonectomy (removal of an entire lung). Lung removal seriously impairs breathing capacity, and is reserved for very severe cases.

Chemotherapy (cancer-fighting drugs administered orally or via injection) is the most common form of treatment for lung cancer that has spread to other areas beyond the chest. Side effects may include pain, hair loss and vomiting, but vary from patient to patient.

Radiation therapy bombards cancer cells with concentrated bursts of radiation, killing them or inhibiting their growth. Radiation is often used in combination with chemotherapy to fight metastasized lung cancer.

In addition, many researchers are exploring the new field of biological therapy, which taps into the body’s immune system in order to fight cancer.

If you’re a current or past smoker – or if you have smokers or lung cancer patients in your family – a lung cancer insurance policy could be the smartest purchase you’ll ever make. Supplemental cancer insurance pays you a lump sum benefit on first diagnosis of lung cancer, giving you extra money for surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or living expenses. Compare top insurance carriers and apply today on CancerPlans.com.

http://cancer.osu.edu/patientsandvisitors/cancerinfo/cancertypes/lung/faq/Pages/index.aspx

http://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/lung-surgery-thoracotomy-for-lung-cancer