Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves the administration of drugs to kill cancer cells within the body. The medications are usually given intravenously, although some drugs are taken by mouth in pill or capsule form. The chemotherapy drugs are usually given as doublets (2 drugs) or more in cycles every 2-3 weeks. The chemotherapy treatment regimen (program) for small cell and non-small cell lung cancer use different protocols.
Chemotherapy can be used along with surgery as a way to kill off any microscopic cancer cells that may remain after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy), or it can be used to reduce the tumor growth and alleviate symptoms for patients who are not candidates for surgery or whose tumors cannot be resected (surgically removed). It is also sometimes used before surgery (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) to try to shrink large tumors.
Often chemotherapy is given with radiation therapy (chemoradiation).
Recently, targeted biologic therapy drugs have been developed for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. These agents directly block specific molecules such as EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) on lung cancer cells that drive their uncontrolled growth or block proteins such as VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) that stimulate the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors. Erlotinib (Tarceva#174;) is an oral drug (pill) that blocks EGFR that has shown benefit in patients with advanced (unresectable) non-small cell lung cancer after first line chemotherapy has stopped working. Bevacizumab (Avastin#174;) is an antibody that blocks VEGF that has been found to improve overall survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer when used in combination with chemotherapy.
More on Lung Cancer
Treatment Options for Those Diagnosed With Lung Cancer
What Is Chemotherapy?
What Is Radiation Therapy?
A Guide to Cancer Treatment
In the Encyclopedia:
Lung diseases due to gas or chemical exposure
Superior vena cava syndrome
Lung biopsy
Lung abscess
Lung cancer, non-small cell
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