Is recurrence of early lung cancer after surgery considered advanced? What is the impact of lung cancer classification on treatment and prognosis?

Lung cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the highest morbidity and mortality among respiratory diseases. It can be divided into two categories: primary and metastatic. Primary lung cancer is more common in malignant cases. Metastatic lung cancer is common in patients in the late stage. Lung cancer originates from cells that grow out of control in the lungs. Cancer cells invade surrounding tissues to form tumors and metastasize to various parts of the body, causing corresponding symptoms. Since lung cancer has no specific symptoms, patients can easily confuse lung cancer with other lung diseases and delay treatment. Regarding questions related to lung cancer, Zhou Chengzhi, chief physician of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, is invited to answer our questions.

Does recurrence of early-stage lung cancer after surgery mean it is in the late stage?

Recurrence after surgery for early lung cancer does not mean that the disease is in the late stage, but most cases after recurrence are treated as in the late stage. If the recurrence is confined to one site, surgery can be considered again. The role of immunotherapy is mainly to activate the body's immune system, especially T cells to kill tumor cells. However, immunotherapy is a double-edged sword. It can have miraculous therapeutic effects, but it may also cause serious adverse reactions, which is the most important concern in clinical practice.

What impact does classification have on lung cancer treatment and prognosis?

Different types of lung cancer have different prognoses and treatments. Small cell lung cancer focuses on drug therapy. If it is in the early stage, surgery is recommended. In the late stage, drugs are mainly used. Non-small cell lung cancer is divided into two major types: adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. If adenocarcinoma patients are detected with driver genes, they can use corresponding targeted therapy, while squamous cell carcinoma rarely has driver genes and is more often treated with radiotherapy, chemotherapy or immunotherapy.

Whether lung cancer patients need surgery, whether they can undergo surgery, which surgery method to choose, and the recovery after surgery are all closely related to the patient's age and lung cancer condition. After being diagnosed with cancer, patients should receive timely treatment regardless of the stage of the disease, which can effectively control the growth of the tumor and prevent the deterioration of nerve function. However, since lung cancer is prone to recurrence and metastasis, patients must persist in receiving treatment.