Lung cancer is the most common type of cancer leading to mortality. Globally the incidence of deaths due to lung cancer is at alarming levels. Interrogating what causes lung cancer and deriving common sources helps prospect the reason for its occurrence. The healthcare fraternity from the oncology department is contributing seamlessly to come up with effective treatment options. Impressive research work and continuous efforts have been reaping healthcare benefits for patients suffering from advanced stages of lung cancer. Pulmonary oncologists who are dedicated to the stream of lung cancer have proven to reflect the significant and remarkable difference in standards of prevention and care.
The question of the hour is, Is lung cancer curable? Well, the mainstay of the cure is a comparative analysis of striking features of cancer in different individuals. Thereby, suggesting a customised treatment plan as per the specific condition deemed necessary.
Stages and Type of Lung Cancer
Cells divide and proliferate in an abnormal and uncontrolled fashion to give rise to tumours. These cells might have origin primarily in the lungs or may travel secondarily from elsewhere in the body. The potential of the newly formed nodule to remain benign or turn malignant requires diagnosis and early assessment. Timely monitoring of the symptoms of lung cancer helps in early diagnosis. Vigilant intervention is crucial for establishing the severity of the growth which otherwise progresses exponentially. Operable stage diagnosis of lung cancer improves life expectancy remarkably.
It is vital to understand the grade, stage, and types of lung cancer that an individual is suffering from. A lung cancer specialist can help resolve the complexities involved in analysing the stage of cancer, upon which the entire treatment will depend and vary.
Types of lung cancer:
The type of cell involved in the initiation and progression of cancer, answers the big dilemma, Is lung cancer curable? Outlining this facilitates the doctor to chalk out a treatment plan.
- PRIMARY LUNG CANCER
- Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)
- Neuroendocrine Tumour
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
- Adenocarcinoma
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Large cell carcinoma
- SECONDARY LUNG CANCER
- OTHER Types
- Lung Sarcoma
- Salivary Gland Type Tumours
- Lung Lymphoma
- Pancoast Tumour
- Mesothelioma
Stages of lung cancer:
“Lung cancer is curable or not” is based on which stage a lung cancer has progressed to. The stage of cancer can be ascertained by means of various diagnostic tests and scans. It depicts the gross picture of cancer as to how huge or small it is and whether or not it has migrated to other parts of the body. However, some cases are difficult to be staged via diagnosis. Such cases require complete surgical excision to analyse the stage of the lung cancer and determine if, “lung cancer is curable”. There are three ways of staging a lung cancer:
- TNM STAGING
- T stands for tumour, based on its size ( varying from 1cm to 7cm and more), the tumour is staged as T1, T2, T3, T4.
- N stands for node, whether cancer has lymph node involvement
- M stands for metastasis, M0(absent) and M1(present)
- NUMBER STAGING
- Stage 1 – refers to the early phase of cancer when the tumour size is small ( 3-4 cm) and has not spread to lymph nodes or surrounding organs
- Stage 2 – refers to tumour sizes of 4-7cm with or without the involvement of lymph nodes and/or surrounding organs
- Stage 3 – refers to the presence of one or more tumours of size 5-7 cm and more, with involvement of surrounding structures and/or lymph nodes
- Stage 4 – refers to the stage when cancer has spread to several organs and areas of the body, involving both the lungs.
When can Lung cancer be cured?
Active surveillance, early diagnosis, and timely intervention is the key to cure. The treatment by the large depends on the stage at which the lung cancer has been diagnosed. Be it at the limited stage or at the extensive stage, overcoming anxiety by focussing on improving lifestyle helps combat the sufferings. The more advanced a stage or lethal the type, the lesser is the life expectancy. Various studies outline life expectancy post contracting the fatal disease to be between 1 to 5 years. However, there are a lot of factors like the presence of comorbidities and lifestyle modification that will hugely influence the treatment outcome.
Every stage has a different modus operandi and each individual is unique in the form that their body features cancer. Basically, according to the individual body demands and underlying condition, the treating specialist prepares a plan of action and treats cancer and its related complexities.
Is Lung Cancer curable? Which stage is curable?
The cure to lung cancer is dependent on your overall health condition and the severity of cancer in terms of its nature, size, and spread. If the cancer is small cell lung cancer, limited to one lung that is too restricted to only one small area of the lung with no metastasis and diagnosed at a very early stage, can be treated by complete surgical removal followed by prophylactic chemotherapy and radiotherapy. For advanced stages with or without metastasis, the approach is a combination of treatment modalities aiming to provide a better quality of life by killing cancerous cells and managing debilitating complications.
How Lung Cancer Treatment Increases Survival Rates?
Lung cancer treatment at whatever stage it has been diagnosed remits assurance to standard living. Preparing oneself to combat the disease and getting ready to accept the treatment is all that is required. Lung cancer is curable or not, depending on the stage of cancer. A combination of one or more therapies is planned as the case demands. It is prioritised and customised according to the severity and extent of the cancer size and spread.
- PREHABILITATION
- SURGERY
- CHEMOTHERAPY
- RADIOTHERAPY
- CHEMORADIOTHERAPY
- IMMUNOTHERAPY
- TARGETED CANCER DRUGS
- LASER THERAPY
- PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY
- RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION
- MICROWAVE ABLATION
- DIATHERMY (ELECTROCAUTERY)
- FOLLOW UP
Broadly speaking the survival rate differs according to the stage of the lung cancer. Based on the long-term clinical trials, research conducted and data, general life expectancy is between 5 to 10 years for early stages and up to 1 year for advanced stages. Nonetheless, patients who respond well to treatment even live longer.
Take away
Dr. Saphalta Baghmar is a renowned name in treating lung cancer. She is trusted for her modus operandi and patient-centric approach. The point of diagnosis and efficient analysis of the staging of cancer has made Dr. Saphalta’s Clinic a pioneer centre of world-class treatment for lung cancer. The team works tirelessly to upgrade their knowledge on lung cancer treatment modalities in order to reach their goal of making the world a cancer-free zone.
Dr. Bhagmar is trusted for her credentials and leading authority in lung cancer prevention, research, and cure.
FAQs
- What happens if you have lung cancer?
Symptoms of lung cancer being severe shortness of breath, coughing and chest pain.
- How can lung cancer be detected?
Lung cancer can be detected by means of a variety of diagnostic tests and scans like chest x-ray, CT scan, Pet-CT scan, Biopsy and Staging
