Living With Stage 4 Lung Cancer: Survival Rates, Treatments, Emotional Support, and More

Treatments for stage 4 lung cancer typically focus on lessening symptoms, prolonging survival, and improving quality of life. ASCO emphasizes that lung cancer is treatable at any stage of the disease.

Generally, therapies for stage 4 lung cancer aren’t intended to cure the cancer. But the American Cancer Society points out that, in rare cases, some stage 4A lung cancers that are limited to the lungs and only one other site (such as the brain) can be treated and even cured with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination of these treatments.

Options for all other types of stage 4 lung cancers depend on the type of cancer, where it has spread, whether certain gene mutations feed the cancer, and a person’s overall health.

Sometimes, doctors will combine different treatments and other supportive modalities to improve a person’s quality of life. This approach, known as palliative care, focuses on relieving pain and making a person more comfortable. According to the NIH, palliative care can be given along with standard medical treatments and can be started at the time of diagnosis.

Targeted Treatments

If you have advanced lung cancer, your doctor will likely order special tests to see if your tumor contains certain gene mutations, according to the American Cancer Society. Targeted treatments slow the growth of tumors by focusing on these specific defects in lung cancer cells. Some of these treatments target mutations in the following genes:

• KRAS
• EGFR
• ALK
• BRAF
• RET
• ROS1
• MET
• NTRK

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to recognize and fight cancer cells. If a person’s lung tumor cells contain high levels of the protein PD-L1, they may be more likely to respond to immunotherapy treatments called checkpoint inhibitors, says the American Cancer Society.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells in the body. According to the American Cancer Society, chemo can be used along with targeted treatments or immunotherapy for stage 4 lung cancers.

Surgery

Doctors sometimes perform surgery to remove tumors if they cause pain. The Canadian Cancer Society notes that surgery may be done for stage 4 lung cancers that have spread to the brain, adrenal gland, or liver.

Additionally, doctors may perform procedures to drain fluid if it builds up in the space around the lungs or heart, according to the American Cancer Society.

Radiation

Radiation therapy can be used to shrink tumors and help relieve symptoms of stage 4 lung cancer. It’s commonly used to treat lung cancers that have spread to the bones or brain and in patients who can’t have chemotherapy, explains the Canadian Cancer Society.

Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy uses special photosensitizing drugs along with light to kill cancer cells. The Mayo Clinic says that this treatment can be used for lung cancers that grow into an airway and cause coughing, bleeding, or difficulty breathing.

Complementary and Integrative Approaches

Complementary therapies may be used along with standard treatments to help people with stage 4 lung cancer reduce side effects, lessen anxiety, and feel better.

Some of the modalities listed by the American Lung Association include:

• Meditation Breathing and other techniques are used to quiet the mind.
• Biofeedback Patients learn how to control some of their bodily functions, such as their heart rate.
• Yoga Stretches, meditation, and controlled breathing exercises
• Massage Therapists use different movements and techniques to manipulate muscles and other soft tissues in the body.
• Chiropractic care Chiropractors make adjustments to the spine and joints to help ease pain.
• Reflexology This is a special type of massage that involves applying pressure to specific points in the feet or hands.
• Tai chi This is a form of exercise that uses slow body movements and controlled breathing methods.
• Reiki With Reiki, guided energy is thought to promote a healing response. The practitioner places their hands on or just above a person’s body.

Clinical Trials

Participating in a clinical study may allow individuals with stage 4 lung cancer to receive cutting-edge treatments that aren’t otherwise available. Talk to your doctor if you’re interested in joining a clinical trial.

Source link

from Ketone Blog https://ketone2013.com/living-with-stage-4-lung-cancer-survival-rates-treatments-emotional-support-and-more/
via Keto News