Treatments for Stage IV Lung Cancer

Stage IV lung cancer is the most serious form of lung cancer with a low cure rate. When someone is diagnosed with this stage of the disease, the cancer has likely spread to other organs. Some who have been given this diagnosis choose not to continue treatment so they can enjoy the time they have left with friends and loved ones. Others choose to fight with medications such as chemotherapy and radiation.

Formation

• Lung cancer, like most cancers, begins as an abnormality within the cells of the body. Cells normally multiply and divide as needed, maintaining a healthy system of checks and balances. When this system is interrupted, uncontrolled division of cells begins. As these cells proliferate, they form hard masses within the lung.
  Many people with lung cancer don't realize they have it. Symptoms such as chronic bronchitis, coughing up blood and wheezing eventually become noticeable. Tests such as X-rays and CT scans are performed to determine if cancer has formed in the lung. Once cancer is diagnosed, it is then classified according to stage.

Stages

• There are four stages of lung cancer, with Stage I being the least severe and Stage IV being the most serious. When someone is diagnosed with Stage IV, this usually means that their cancer has metastasized from the lungs to other parts of the body such as the lymph nodes, liver or brain. Once cancer has reached Stage IV, chances of survival are minimal. There is treatment, however, available to people who are in the advanced stages of lung cancer.

Treatment

• The main treatment used for patients with Stage IV lung cancer is chemotherapy, and it is only given to those who can tolerate it. Though not a cure for Stage IV cancer, it can prolong life for about two to four months. Another treatment that might be used is external radiation. External radiation is administered using a machine that shoots high beam X-rays into the tumor. During Stage IV lung cancer, it is used primarily for relieving pain and slowing growth of the tumor.
  Another form of treatment is pain management. Many choose at this late stage to stop chemotherapy and radiation. The only medication that is given during this time is to relieve pain. The aim is to make patients comfortable so they can enjoy what time they have left.

Side Effects

• Chemotherapy and radiation have similar side effects. Those side effects are hair loss, nausea, vomiting and a weakening of immune systems. People who undergo radiation might experience burning and rash at the point of radiation. They might also feel some pain throughout the body.

Conclusion

• Patients who are diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer naturally want to fight their illness. They want to find the best treatments and maintain a positive approach. The choice to either seek further treatment or forego it is a deeply personal matter, though the patient will want to consider the opinions of family and physicians.