Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment: Questions and Answers

Doctors prescribe biologic response modifiers in conjunction with chemotherapy treatments. This therapy boosts the body's ability to produce white blood cells, which naturally combat cancer cells.

NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer. It typically afflicts smokers or people regularly subjected to second-hand smoke. There are three forms of this type of lung cancer: adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and large cell (undifferentiated) carcinoma. Treatment depends on the type of NSCLC in question.

Targeted treatments are often used in conjunction with traditional chemotherapy drugs. Chemotherapy drugs destroy cancer cells, but in the process, the drugs take a toll on the body and can cause serious side effects. Targeted treatments, on the other hand, only target specific traits of cancerous cells to destroy them. The result is similar, but the toll on the body tends to be less problematic.

Immunotherapy drugs are cutting-edge treatments in the fight against lung cancer and other types of cancer as well. These drugs support the body's immune system, empowering it to destroy cancer cells. Medical practitioners are excited about this form of therapy because it causes far fewer side effects than more traditional and conventional lung cancer therapies.

Medical researchers assert that the latest incarnations of immunotherapy drugs are extremely promising. These treatments are often featured in association with chemotherapy.

EGFR-blocking drugs are an exciting advance in cancer treatment because they appear to have the ability to disrupt the signals cancer cells send, which is essential for their reproduction. This interruption effectively blocks these signals. The result is that tumor growth and cancer spread can be slowed or possibly even stopped.

One or two of the latest EGFR-blocking drugs prescribed for the treatment of NSCLC are showing great promise in blocking cancer cell replication. There are about seven common mutations. Some drugs are better equipped to deal with known mutations than others.

EGFR-blocking drugs can lose their effectiveness over time because cancer cells mutate. One of the reasons researchers are excited about the drug newer EGFR blocking drugs is because they are effective against one of the most common mutations this form of cancer takes.

Your oncologist should be able to provide you with a list of other commonly prescribed biologic response modifiers. Sufferers may be prescribed both brand-name and generic forms of the drugs in question.

Chemotherapy remains the leading treatment for patients combatting NSCLC. Typically, patients are prescribed chemotherapy as well as some of these other innovative treatments.

Treatment for NSCLC, particularly chemotherapy, can cause many side effects that impede a person's well-being. Weight loss, fatigue, depression, and nausea are some common side effects of chemotherapy.

Your particular case and health profile are specific to you. Many people took part in the clinical trials needed to prove the efficacy and safety of some of these latest innovations in cancer treatment. It's important to discuss clinical trials with your healthcare provider to determine if they are applicable to your situation.

Today, many oncologists are prescribing drugs that target parts of the cancer cells needed for their survival. These drugs were deemed safe in their associated clinical trials and are now being used in the treatment for this disease.

According to researchers, the advances in the treatment of this disease have made substantial inroads in the fight against cancer. More than a decade ago, people suffering from stage 4 NSCLC reached the five-year mark of survival post-diagnosis. That percentage has increased today to 20%.

You should be able to get up-to-date information about new drugs and therapies for the treatment of NSCLC from a physician who specializes in lung cancer. You can also visit your nearest medical library to get help researching the latest news on this topic.