Lung cancers fall into one of two broad categories: small cell lung cancers and non-small cell, also known as large cell lung cancer. Large cell lung cancers are more common. Approximately 90% of lung cancer diagnoses are large cell lung cancer. Of these, 25% to 30% are squamous cell carcinomas (cancers that begin in small, flat cells in the lungs called squamous cells), 40% are adenocarcinomas (cancer that starts in cells that line the aleveoli and produce mucus) and 5% to 10% are undifferentiated large cell carcinomas (cancer that begins in miscellaneous large cells in the lungs).
Treatment
Treatment choices for lung cancer vary depending on the individual patient's needs. Treatment choices include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and palliative care designed to relieve the symptoms associated with lung cancer. The appropriate treatment or combination of treatments depends on the type of large cell lung cancer, the extent of the spread of the cancer and the patients general health and condition.
Surgery
According to the American Cancer Society, surgery is usually the treatment of choice for lung cancer diagnosed in the early stages. Types of surgery include a pneumonectomy, a lobectomy, or a segmentectomy. A pneumonectomy removes the entire lung, a lobectomy is a partial lung removal in which a section or "lobe" of the lung is removed, and a segmentectomy removes just a part of a lobe of the lung. Lymph nodes may also be extracted so a biopsy can be performed to determine whether the cancer has advanced. If the cancer has not spread and the entire cancer can be surgically removed, the prognosis for recovery is good and most patients in good health can resume normal activities within a few weeks, even if the entire lung is removed.
Radiation Therapy
Radiation is an alternative to surgery for treating large cell lung cancer. Radiation is generally recommended for patients who are not healthy enough to undergo a complete or partial lung removal. Radiation may also be administered in conjunction with surgery, following the removal of all or a portion of the lung. Radiation administered after surgery is designed to kill any cancer cells that remain. Radiation may also be offered as a form of palliative care for patients whose cancer has metastasized to the brain, as radiation delivered to areas of cancer in the brain can help relieve symptoms including headaches, dizziness and pain.
Radiofrequency Ablation
As of 2009, radio frequency ablation is a relatively new method of treating large cell lung cancer, primarily used on patients with small tumors that are close to the outer edges of the lung. It is an alternative to surgery in which radio waves heat the tumor, destroying the cancer cells.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is another option used to treat large cell lung cancer. It may be used alone, or in conjunction with radiation, surgery or both. Chemotherapy may be administered prior to surgery (neo-adjuvant chemotherapy) to shrink the tumor so it will be small enough to be removed. It may also be administered after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) to kill any remaining cancer cells lingering in the body. Finally, for patients with metastatic large cell lung cancer (cancer that has spread outside the lungs), chemotherapy may be used to help slow the growth of cancer and enhance the longevity of the patient's life.
Tags: cell lung, lung cancer, cell lung cancer, large cell, large cell lung