Weighing New Treatments for Lung Cancer

July 14, 2011

Q: I’ve recently had a loved one diagnosed with lung cancer, and I was wondering what the treatment options are for it and if there are any new treatment options available.

A: there are several new and experimental methods that are being used and studied to treat people suffering from lung cancer. Lung cancer is traditionally treated through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, but because of the new approaches and techniques being used, patients and doctors have a more optimistic outlook.

A new surgical technique called video-assisted thoracic surgery is being used on people who are not capable of tolerating a major surgery. VATS allows for a smaller incision to be created in the patient. Surgery in this manner may allow shorter hospital stays and aid in a faster recovery process. While there are pros to this technique, the cons include not being able to see the entire lung area, and therefore not allowing a surgeon to obtain adequate lymph node samples.

Targeted drug therapy is a newer treatment which has been approved. this type of treatment focuses on specific abnormalities that are seen within cancer cells. there are two types of targeted drug therapies, Bevacizumab and Erlotinib.

Bevacizumab, also known as Avastin, is used to stop the flow of oxygen within the blood vessels that connect to tumors that allow tumors to grow. this new method is only approved for advanced, or recurring non-small cell lung cancer. Many times this treatment is used in combination with chemotherapy.

Erlotinib, also known as Tarceva, is used to block the cancer cell from growing and dividing. this is usually used on its own as an option for sufferers who have not been helped by chemotherapy, and who are dealing with advanced and recurrent non-small cell lung cancer.

When lung cancer reaches a stage where traditional methods are of no use, the patient can often enroll in clinical trials for experimental treatments. although many of these experimental methods are new, they do not promise a cure for the lung cancer patient, especially if suffering from very late-stage lung cancer. although it may not help all patients, the data and information received from their participation greatly helps doctors in better understanding treatments for lung cancer in the future.

In order to prevent lung cancer from reaching an inoperable or untreatable stage, Pocono Medical Center has found success in a new X-ray method called spiral CT scanning. this helps recognize early forms of the cancer in smokers and nonsmokers, so that they can be treated as soon as possible.

Nche Zama, M.D., Ph.D., is certified by the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. He practices thoracic surgery at PMC Physician Associates, Cardiac/Thoracic Surgery, in East Stroudsburg.

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Weighing new treatments for lung cancer