Stages of lung cancer and treatment

Lung Cancer Stages

Lung cancer stage is based on tumour size, location within the lung and whether it has spread to the lymph nodes or other organs within the body. For NSCLC stages range from 1 to 4, a higher number means the cancer is more advanced.

Non-small cell lung cancer stages

Stage I	Cancer is confined to the lungs and has not spread to any lymph nodes.
Stage II	The cancer is in the lung and nearby lymph nodes.
Stage III	Cancer is in the lung and in the lymph nodes in the centre of the chest. If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in the centre of the chest on the same side as the tumour, it is called stage IIIA. If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes on the opposite side of the chest, the neck or above the collar bone, it is called stage IIIB.
Stage IV	Cancer has spread to both lungs, to fluid in the area around the lungs, or to another part of the body.

Small cell lung cancer stages

SCLC may be classified as limited stage and extensive stage.

Limited stage refers to SCLC that is confined to one lung. Extensive stage refers to SCLC that has spread to the other lung or to other areas in the body.

Staging is vital for deciding how to treat lung cancer and determining how successful treatment might be.

Did you know?

By improving lung function, physical activity may reduce the risk of lung cancer by 20 percent.

Lung cancer treatment

Treatment for lung cancer depends on:

Where the cancer is located
The type of cancer
How much it has grown or spread
The individual’s general health and level of fitness

A doctor or specialised cancer team will generally discuss the best treatment options with a patient, after discovering as much as possible about their cancer. They will explain the benefits and the possible side effects of treatment.

Types of treatment

Surgery: Surgery for lung cancer depends on where in the lung the cancer is located and how big it is.

Chemotherapy: During chemotherapy anti-cancer drugs designed to stop the growth of cancer cells are administered. A combination of drugs is usually given in a series of treatments over a weekly or monthly period.

Radiation therapy: Uses high-energy X-rays aimed at the cancer. There are two primary types of radiotherapy. External beam radiation and internal radiation (brachytherapy).

Targeted treatments: Unlike chemotherapy drugs, which cannot tell the difference between normal cells and cancer cells, targeted therapies are designed specifically to attack cancer cells by attaching to or blocking targets that appear on the surfaces of those cells. Targeted therapy may be used alone, or combined with other lung cancer treatments.

Many people may find it stressful discussing treatment options, and worry they will make poor choices. Often there is no single best option, it’s important to take time to think through treatment options and decide with a doctor or cancer team which treatment or combination of treatments suits best.

Did you know?

Tobacco kills around 6 million people each year, over 5 million deaths through direct tobacco use and 600 000 deaths through non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke.