The lung is a vital organ within the respiratory system that supplies the body with oxygen. Lung cancers are classified as one of the most common causes of death in the U.S. Men who smoke are at a greater risk of having this type of cancer, but women who smoke are also at great risk. Lung cancer can even develop in those who are infrequent smokers and exposed to secondhand smoke.

In the earlier stages of lung cancer, the signs may go undetected. The symptoms become grave as the lung cancer enters the later stages with telltale symptoms such as persistent cough, pain in the chest, breath shortness, and weight loss. Some other serious symptoms of lung cancer include bone pain. Thus, lung cancer screening and treating are essential to decide upon a course of treatment, which may include one or a combination of the following:

1. Surgery

In surgery a part of the lung is removed that has the abnormal growth of the cell. This is done when the cancer is localized. These are several procedures to treat lung cancer, including:

• Lobectomy is a process where the lung lobe is removed completely.
• A wedge resection is a surgical method where a portion of the affected region of lung along with the adjacent healthy tissues is removed. It involves the removal of the surrounding lymph node.
• Segmental resection is a lung cancer treatment process where the subject has to lose a larger section of the lung.
• Pneumonectomy is a process of removing the entire lung.
• VATS is a modern day surgical methods that is non-invasive and effective in preserving the lung function.

2. Radiation therapy

Radiotherapy is a lung cancer treatment process in which high energy rays (i.e., protons or X-rays) are used to deactivate the lung cancer cells. Radiation is directed at the cancerous area of the body. This is useful if the cancer is benign and localized or radiation can be administered after surgery to kill all the cells that may be left after the treatment. If the cancer is in their later stages radiation therapy is helpful in relieving the pain and other aggravated symptoms. This treatment has minimum side effect and effective.

3. Chemotherapy

Chemo is a lung cancer treatment process that employs chemical drugs to inactivate the proliferation of the cancer cells. Chemotherapy can be either taken orally or intravenously. This treatment requires subjecting drugs in series. This might extend from a week to month. Chemo can be used in combination with the surgery so that cancer does not recur. Sometimes this is given before the surgery to reduce the tumor size.

4. Targeted drug therapy

In this therapy, specific abnormality of the carcinoma cells is blocked by the use of the drug. Thus, the cells that have lost their control over the cell cycle are interrupted.

5. Immunotherapy

In immunotherapy, drugs are given to inhibit the protein that is produced by the cancer cells. This protein works to suppress the immune cells.