About Chemotherapy Treatment for Lung Cancer

Lung conditions affect millions of men, women and children each day. Patients may suffer from respiratory problems such as asthma or cancer of the lungs. For those with lung cancer, doctors may use chemotherapy to treat their condition. Chemotherapy destroys, decreases or stops cancer cells with drugs and other medications.

Types of Lung Cancer Chemotherapy

The types of drug therapy used, and when specialists use them is important to treatment success. They are:

• Primary Systemic Chemotherapy: Oncologists use primary systemic chemotherapy, also called neoadjuvant, to kill cancerous cells or tumors before surgery. This chemotherapy method helps doctors know if treatment will work on the cancer after they do a surgery. 


• Adjuvant Chemotherapy: This drug therapy follows surgery or radiation treatment. It aims to kill cancer cells or tumors that surgery missed or did not kill. It also prevents cancer from spreading.


• Systemic Chemotherapy: Drugs circulate through the blood stream to kill cancerous cells. This drug therapy treats diseased cells that spread to other areas of the body. It also treats advanced cancer.

Side Effects

Although chemo is an excellent treatment course for patients, it does have a number of side effects. These are:

• Nausea and loss of appetite: Many people experience vomiting and nausea. Doctors tell patients to avoid lying flat and to eat smaller meals than usual. The drug regiment may decrease the patient's need to eat; however, food is essential in the healing process. Anti-emetic medication helps remedy the problem.


• Loss of hair: Chemotherapy increases hair loss in the majority of patients. It occurs all over the body but will grow back after the therapy completes.


• Infections and bleeding: As the body fights cancer, white blood cells deplete. This leads to infections. Bleeding and bruising are also side effects. People should report bleeding to their doctor immediately.