Radiation for Lung Cancer
- Stage 3 lung cancer is curable with modern treatments.
- Radiation therapy forms the backbone of treatment for patients with stage 3 lung cancer.
- Radiation uses high energy x-rays to kill cancer cells, is non-invasive, but can cause side effects.
An overview of stage 3 lung cancer.
Patients diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer have tumors that are not only in the lungs but have also spread to nearby lymph nodes. Even though cancer has spread to lymph nodes, stage 3 lung cancer can be cured. Depending on how advanced the tumor has spread, where the tumor is located, the size of the tumor, the number of lymph nodes involved with the cancer, and the patient's health, doctors will develop a treatment strategy that will provide the best chance of cure with the fewest side effects. Fortunately, the treatment for stage 3 lung cancer has changed significantly over the past several years thanks to advances in treatments such as radiation therapy and immunotherapy. Because there are many options and approaches for treating stage 3 lung cancer it can be very confusing and each patient may be treated differently depending on multiple specific factors. However, most patients with stage 3 lung cancer will have a combination of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy, while some patients may also have surgery as a component of treatment.In this article, we discuss how radiation is used to treat stage 3 lung cancer and the possible side effects you may experience but first, it is important to know how your stage is determined.
How your stage is determined.
Read MoreWhat is radiation and why is it used?
Radiation is one of the most common tools used to treat cancer. More than 50 percent of all people diagnosed with cancer will receive radiation as part of their treatment regimen. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to seek and destroy cancer cells. Radiation, unlike chemotherapy, is a local treatment and focuses directly on the tumor. Radiation is commonly used in lung cancer treatment and plays a role in all stages of the disease. For stage 3 disease radiation therapy is the main form of treatment used to shrink and kill the tumor. Often, chemotherapy is given with radiation to enhance the tumor-killing properties of radiation therapy. Radiation therapy given with chemotherapy has been shown to improve survival compared with giving radiation alone and forms the backbone of treatment in stage 3 lung cancer. After completing radiation therapy and chemotherapy patients will also be given immunotherapy called Durvalumab.
Survivornet spoke with Dr. Billy Loo, Jr., a radiation oncologist, and bioengineer who leads the Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program at Stanford who told Survivornet that “there is opportunity with aggressive therapy to cure this cancer.”
” There is opportunity with aggressive therapy to cure this cancer.”
How radiation is given.
Unlike chemotherapy, radiation is delivered from the outside and is entirely non-invasive. Radiation uses highly focused or conformal beams of radiation shaped and aimed precisely at the tumor. Dr. Loo tells SurvivorNet that:
” Radiation uses high-energy beams aimed at the cancer that causes damage to the DNA inside the cell which prevents the cancer from growing.”
The radiation comes from a large machine that will move around each patient delivering the dose as prescribed by the doctor known as a radiation oncologist. With radiation treatment, there are no needles, no anesthesia, and no restrictions on life. It is given in about 10-15 minutes every day for several weeks. Be sure to discuss with your radiation oncologist to learn more about how radiation is given and where you are treated as there can be differences at each clinic.
What to expect.
Fortunately, during radiation patients do not feel or see anything. The process is just like getting a CT scan or an x-ray. Typically, during the first few weeks of radiation treatment many patients will not develop any side effects. However, as treatment continues radiation can cause fatigue, painful swallowing known as esophagitis, decreased appetite, changes in blood counts, and other rare side effects. With modern radiation techniques, most patients will have no trouble completing radiation therapy. However, you must discuss any side effects with your treating team so changes can be made as soon as possible if needed.
Radiation is an effective and safe treatment for stage 3 lung cancer. Radiation is given concurrently with chemotherapy and is given definitively to cure the cancer. Most patients with stage 3 lung cancer will also receive immunotherapy after completing a course of radiation and chemotherapy. If you have been diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer remain hopeful as radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy can lead to cures.
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