About Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is a cancer that starts in the lungs. When a person has lung cancer, they have abnormal cells that cluster together to form a tumor. Unlike normal cells, cancer cells grow without order or control and destroy the healthy lung tissue around them. The main types of cancer are small cell and non-small cell. There is also carcinoid cancer in the lung (about 3%) that acts clinically different and is treated in different ways from the other two. Each person’s lung cancer is unique which is why it is important to know the treatment options available for your particular cancer.
4 THINGS YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT LUNG CANCER
- Anyone can get lung cancer.
Lung cancer can and does affect all different types of people. All lung cancer patients and caregivers need support and hope. More hope and attention is needed to bring awareness to lung cancer.
- Every patient should talk to their doctor about comprehensive genomic tumor testing. It is best to have this discussion before the initial biopsy, but it is never too late to bring it up.
A newer type of lung cancer treatment, called targeted therapy, may be the best treatment option for people who have certain markers on their tumor. It is important you know all of your treatment options and having your tumor tested using comprehensive genomic testing is the first step.
- Clinical trials might be the best treatment option for you.
Clinical trials are carefully monitored research studies and may give you access to potentially life-saving treatment. Talk with your doctor about whether a clinical trial is the right treatment decision for you as soon as you begin exploring treatment options.
- Almost every patient, regardless of their prognosis, is a candidate to receive palliative care at the start of their lung cancer treatment.
Many people don’t know that palliative care is its own medical specialty aimed at improving a patient’s quality of life. People think it’s only for end of life care. This is far from the truth. Palliative care has even been shown to potentially extend life when received at the same time as treatment. Meeting with a palliative care specialist can help you get an extra layer of support before, during and after lung cancer treatment.