Treatment of Lung Cancer

For Everyone
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Key points

  • Lung cancer can be treated in several ways.
  • Treatment depends on the type of lung cancer and how far it has spread.

Treatment options

Lung cancer is treated in several ways, depending on the type of lung cancer, how far it has spread, and your overall health. If lung cancer is found, more tests are done to find out how far it has spread through the lungs, lymph nodes, and the rest of the body. This process is called staging. The type and stage of lung cancer tell doctors what kind of treatment you need. For more information, visit Stages of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Stages of Small Cell Lung Cancer.

Screening can help find lung cancer at an early stage, when treatment may work better.

If you have lung cancer (especially non-small cell lung cancer), your doctor may run tests to find out if you have a change in your genes (genetic mutation). The results of these tests help your doctor know which treatments will work best for you. Molecular testing (also called tumor or biomarker testing) may help you make decisions about treatment. You may also consider genetic testing to look for inherited characteristics.

People with non-small cell lung cancer can be treated with surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, or a combination of these treatments. People with small cell lung cancer are usually treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

  • Surgery: An operation in which doctors cut out the cancer.
  • Chemotherapy: Use of special medicines to shrink or kill the cancer. The drugs can be pills you take or medicines given in your veins, or sometimes both.
  • Radiation therapy: Use of high-energy rays (similar to x-rays) to kill the cancer.
  • Targeted therapy: Use of drugs to block the growth and spread of cancer cells. The drugs can be pills you take or medicines given in your veins. You will get tests to see if targeted therapy is right for your cancer type before this treatment is used.

For more information, visit the National Cancer Institute's Lung Cancer page. This site can also help you find health care services.

Doctor talking to patient in hospital
People with non-small cell lung cancer can be treated with surgery.

Which treatment is right for me?

Talk to your cancer doctor (oncologist) about the treatment options available for your type and stage of cancer. Your doctor can explain the risks and benefits of each treatment and the side effects. Side effects are how your body reacts to drugs or other treatments.

Sometimes people get an opinion from more than one cancer doctor. This is called a "second opinion." Getting a second opinion may help you choose the treatment that is right for you.

Clinical trials

Clinical trials use new treatment options to see if they are safe and effective. If you have cancer, you may want to take part. Visit the sites listed below for more information.

Complementary and alternative medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine are medicines and health practices that are not usually used by doctors to treat cancer.

  • Complementary medicine is used together with standard care to help symptoms or quality of life. Acupuncture, meditation, and nutrition support are examples.
  • Alternative medicine is used instead of standard treatment. The patient does not receive the standard cancer therapy. Alternative medicine can be harmful or may not work

Talk to your doctor before you start any kind of complementary or alternative medicine.

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Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Division of Cancer Prevention and Control