Common knowledge about chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer is a common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 80-85% of all lung cancers. It can be divided into squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, large cell carcinoma, etc., and their growth and spread patterns are different.

The treatment of non-small cell lung cancer is currently mainly based on the clinical staging of lung cancer. Surgical resection is the main treatment for stages I, II, and IIIA. Chemotherapy may be considered for stage III patients who are confirmed to have squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, or large cell carcinoma by pathology or cytology but cannot undergo surgery, as well as for stage III patients who have recurrence and metastasis after surgery or are not suitable for surgery for other reasons.

In addition, chemotherapy can also have a good effect on patients with residual lesions after examination, patients with lymph node metastasis in the chest, patients with cancer thrombi in lymphatic vessels or blood, and patients with poorly differentiated cancer. If the patient has pleural or pericardial effusion, local chemotherapy may be used to relieve symptoms.

For patients who are older or too weak, chemotherapy should be used with caution. In addition, most chemotherapy drugs are cytotoxic, and using more than one may increase toxicity, so it is generally limited to two.

Tips: Cancer thrombus

Cancer thrombus refers to the invasion or accumulation of blood vessels and lymphatic systems by cancer cells during their growth, reproduction, and metastasis, or the abnormal coagulation of the blood, leading to vascular and blood circulation disorders, abnormal coagulation, thrombosis, and a series of tumor complications with pathophysiological changes.