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Novalis Radiosurgery for Lung Cancer Metastatic Disease

Treating advanced metastatic cancer is different from treating cancer that has not yet spread as the goal of therapy is geared toward maximizing patient comfort rather than actually forcing the cancer into remission. An alternative treatment for individuals facing metastatic lung cancer is Novalis radiosurgery, which is a targeted form of radiation treatment.

  1. Lung Cancer

    • According to Medline Plus, the main risk factor for developing lung cancer is smoking, or exposure to cigarette smoke. Symptoms include persistent coughing, shortness of breath, and blood present in the phlegm. Metastatic lung cancer is cancer that has spread to other parts of the body and symptoms of this advanced form of cancer include unexplained weight loss and localized pain in the bones.

    Metastatic Cancer

    • According to the American Cancer Society, metastatic cancer is cancer that has spread to the lymph node system of the body and has made its way to distant organs and the bones. Once the cancer has spread to this extent it is not likely to be fully cured. However, it can still be treated, slowing the progression of the cancer and prolonging the patient's life.

    Novalis Radiosugery

    • Novalis radiosurgery is one possible treatment method for dealing with cancer that has metastasized. Radiosurgery is a form of radiation treatment that involves the application of targeted beams of external radiation to affected tissue. This serves to damage the genetic material of the cancerous cells, making it more difficult (or impossible) for them to divide and reproduce.

    Side Effects

    • Although Novalis radiosurgery uses a more focused beam of radiation than conventional radiation treatment (which results in less collateral damage to surrounding healthy tissue), there are still possible side effects from the treatment. According to the National Cancer Institute, these include bowel and bladder problems, impotence, fatigue, and lymphedema.

    Considerations

    • Novalis radiosurgery is not used as a stand-alone treatment but is usually combined with another form of therapy to provide synergistic results. It may sometimes be used in combination with surgery (manual excision of cancerous tissue) and chemotherapy (poisoning cancerous tissue with injected drugs).

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