What are the common treatments for lung cancer

Lung cancer is a malignant lung tumor with a relatively high incidence in my country. It is also the number one killer of human health. Its incidence and mortality rates are growing very fast. It is the type of tumor that poses the greatest threat to people's health and life. Once discovered, it must be treated in a timely manner. So, what are the common treatments for lung cancer?

1. Surgical treatment: The purpose of surgical treatment is to completely remove the primary lung cancer lesions and local lymphatic tissue, and preserve as much healthy lung tissue as possible. For various types of lung cancer, if the lesions are small, the primary tumor is confined to the bronchopulmonary, and no distant metastasis has occurred, and the patient's overall condition is good, the 5-year survival rate after surgery can reach 50%.

2. Radiotherapy: Radiotherapy is a means of locally killing cancer lesions. Among various types of lung cancer, undifferentiated small cell carcinoma is the most sensitive to radiotherapy, followed by squamous cell carcinoma. Adenocarcinoma and bronchial adenocarcinoma are even less sensitive. In most cases of lung cancer, the lesions are already extensive when the diagnosis is made, and distant metastasis or poor systemic condition have occurred. Those who are not suitable for surgical treatment should consider radiotherapy or anti-cancer drug treatment to improve symptoms and prolong life. For lung cancer patients who are unwilling to undergo surgical treatment, the 3-year survival rate of radiotherapy alone is about 10%, and the 5-year survival rate drops to 3%.

3. Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is the main treatment for lung cancer, and more than 90% of lung cancers require chemotherapy. The efficacy of chemotherapy on small cell lung cancer is relatively certain regardless of early or late stages, and even about 1% of early small cell lung cancers are cured by chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is also the main means of treating non-small cell lung cancer, and the tumor remission rate of chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer is 40% to 50%. Chemotherapy generally cannot cure non-small cell lung cancer, but can only prolong the patient's survival and improve the quality of life.

4. Immunotherapy: Cancer patients often have suppressed immune function, and the lower the immune function, the worse the prognosis. Immunotherapy as an auxiliary measure for the treatment of lung cancer may help the body's resistance to cancer. Non-specific immunotherapy uses biological products such as BCG, Corynebacterium brevis, transfer factor, interferon, or drugs such as levamisole to stimulate the body's immune function.

Lung cancer is preventable and controllable. Existing studies have shown that after developed Western countries adopted tobacco control and environmental protection, the incidence and mortality of lung cancer have dropped significantly in recent years. Quitting smoking can significantly reduce the incidence of lung cancer, and the earlier you quit smoking, the more obvious the reduction in the incidence of lung cancer. Therefore, quitting smoking is the most effective way to prevent lung cancer.