middle of your chest.
Finally, stage four lung cancer means that the tumors have spread to other organs in the body such as the liver, bones, or brain.
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The Recommended Treatment For Each Stage
Given that stage zero means that the tumor is small and hasn’t spread, most doctors opt to treat this with surgery. In this way, the tumor can be easily removed without exposing you to harmful medications.
To be safe, however, your doctor will monitor you to ensure that the entire tumor was removed. If you have stage one lung cancer, your doctor may recommend a combination of surgery and radiation therapy. The radiation can shrink your tumor and kill the cancerous cells.
At stage two, it’s common for doctors to treat your lung cancer with surgery, followed by chemotherapy and targeted therapies or immune therapies. This will remove the tumor and kill the abnormal cells.
Treating stage three lung cancer can include a combination of chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, targeted therapies, and immune therapies. The exact medications and timeline will depend on the exact nature of your cancer.
Finally, the treatment for stage four lung cancer can vary according to where the tumors have spread. It’s unlikely for your doctor to recommend surgery as it won’t be a successful treatment at this stage. Instead, they might opt for chemotherapy, targeted or immune therapies, or different combinations.
It’s never easy to hear that you’ve been diagnosed with any form of cancer. However, knowing what certain terms mean and how they influence your treatment can help. It’s good to talk to your doctor about any concerns you have and don’t be afraid to ask for clarification when you have more questions.