Fourth Stage Lung Cancer Treatment

Fourth stage lung cancer treatment focuses on treating the symptoms, not the causes, by slowing the growth of tumors. Fourth stage lung cancer treatment rarely cures cancer, but it can help increase a person's survival rate while decreasing the pain associated with it.

Treatments

According to the Mayo Clinic, common types of treatments used for fourth stage lung cancer are chemotherapy and drug therapy. These treatments are typically used together.

Duration

Chemotherapy is given for several weeks to a couple of months, depending on how big the tumor is. Drug therapy is used daily or several times per week, depending on the medication.

Benefits

Chemotherapy kills cancer cells, relieving pain and swelling in the neck, face, and upper body. Drug therapy targets tumors and cuts off its blood supply, shrinking tumors and prolonging a person's life.

Considerations

If a person's immune system is too weak to receive chemotherapy or drug therapy, palliative care--medical care that focuses on easing pain from cancer before death--is another option.

Effects

According to the Indiana University School of Medicine, drug therapy lengthens a person's survival rate by eight months in 28-39 percent of cancer victims.

Types

The types of drugs used to treat fourth stage lung cancer include Avastin, Tarceva, and Gemzar.

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