WellTeacherMD presents Different Treatments and the Options one has when dealing with Lung Cancer
(PRWEB) November 12, 2014 -- For such a serious medical condition, the symptoms warning someone of lung cancer may seem deceptively mild. A slight cough, maybe the shortness of breath, and unexplained fatigue are often the first symptoms that something isn’t right. Unfortunately, these symptoms can be very easy to ignore until they become more intense.
Treatment for lung cancer can take a few different routes, depending on several factors. These include the type of lung cancer, the position of the cancer and its size, the stage of cancer, and ones overall health. There are also a number of treatment options to consider. The doctor will discuss the options one may have, such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and biological therapy. These treatment options might be used in combinations or on their own. The final decision regarding treatment can be difficult to make. The more thats known about the cancer, the better prepared you will be to make those difficult decisions.
Surgery may be an option if the body is in good health, if the cancer is confined to just one lung, and if the type of cancer is non-small-cell lung cancer. Surgery may be used to diagnose, treat, or remedy the symptoms. In a good number of cases, surgery is the best chance for a cure. This is especially true if the cancer has not spread and if the tumor is has not traveled to lymph nodes or other organs.
Radiation may be used as a primary treatment for lung cancer or in combination with other forms of treatment. It can also be used to relieve the symptoms of cancer. There are three common delivery methods: external beam radiation therapy, internal radiation therapy, and systemic radiation therapy.
Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs to slow down or completely stop the growth of cancer cells. However, this treatment plan carries the risk of damaging healthy cells along with the cancerous cells. Cancer cells divide at a much faster rate than normal cells do. Chemotherapy is a response to this.
Hormone therapy is a systemic therapy used to slow the growth of cancer cells. This treatment usually involves the use of medications that deprive the cancer cells from the hormones necessary to continue growing.
Finally, biological therapy takes advantage of substances that come from living organisms, or synthetic versions of those substances, in order to detect cancer cells and to kill them. There are a variety of different biological therapies with their own potential side effects. As with other treatment methods, this option may be used in combination with other treatments.
To learn more about lung cancer and many other health related topics, please visit http://www.wellteachermd.com or call at 1-877-888-0932
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