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Non-small cell carcinoma of the lung (NSCL which includes Squamous cell cancer,
Adenocarcinoma and Large cell carcinoma) is usually best treated with surgery (surgery). In some cases, to improve
the results, chemotherapy or radiation will be used before surgery (induction therapy) or after
surgery (postoperative radiation or adjuvant chemotherapy.)
Some studies show that chemoradiation works as well as surgery (go
here). In patients not felt to be suitable candidates for surgery, radiation alone may be used (go here for radiation alone) and (go here for all radiation topics) or more commonly radiation combined with chemotherapy (radiation plus chemotherapy #1 and #2). Using very targeted doses of radiation may be as effective as surgery (see radiosurgery here and here), and see the article on Tomotherapy here and the Cyberknife section here. There is evidence that more complex radiation techniques improve the results (go here). In patients with more advanced or
incurable cancer chemotherapy alone (chemotherapy)
may be an option, but many of these patients will benefit from localized
(called palliative) radiation often with less side effects than chemotherapy
(go here). Some other studies (here).
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