How is Lung Cancer diagnosed & treated?
1. Overview
Lung cancer begins in the lungs and is most common among people who smoke. People who smoke have 30 times more chances of developing lung cancer than people who do not smoke.
Lung cancer could also be observed among people who do not smoke and are associated with various risk factors like passive smoking, Exposure to radon gas, exposure to asbestos, Air pollution, or have a family history of lung cancer.
Lung cancer treatment In India is done by a team of specialists who follow a multidisciplinary approach. The team of doctors includes Oncologists, physicians, radiologists, surgeons, dieticians, physiotherapists, and counselors.
2. Symptoms of Lung Cancer
If you develop any one or more symptoms it is advised to consult your doctor as early as possible. Early screening and diagnosis help plan in right treatment approach with minimal side effects.
The symptoms include are
Pain in the chest
Discomfort in the chest area
Coughing with blood
Cough that is getting worse and doesn\'t go away even after 2 weeks
Pain in the chest
Difficulty breathing
Unexplained weight loss
Hoarseness of voice
3. Lung Cancer Treatment in India
Lung cancer treatment in India starts from 1300 USD and could reach up to 38, 000 USD. But the cost of treatment in India is more affordable and budget-friendly than various other western countries.
Lung cancer treatment costs depend on various factors like the type of cancer, stage of cancer, your overall health, the experience of the doctor, the hospital and city you choose, your overall stay in the hospital, investigations, diagnostics, and treatment plan according to your stage and type of cancer.
Lung cancer treatment in India is highly effective, provided by the best team of specialists with quality care and precision and it is completely budget-friendly.
The team ensures the quality care of treatment for patients for early and quick recovery.
4. What are the types of treatment for Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer treatment depends on the type and stage of your Lung cancer. In some cases, a single line of treatment is advised however in some a combination approach for treatment is used by the specialists.
The type of treatment given in Lung Cancer are –
Surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation Therapy
Targeted therapy
5. Which treatment option I should choose?
Choosing the right treatment for you is your doctor\'s responsibility. Your doctor would carry out various investigations to identify the type and stage of cancer and would explain to you the available treatment options.
The team with the multidisciplinary approach would explain to you if need a single line of treatment or a combination of treatment.
Doctors always choose the treatment option that is best and affordable for patients and with minimal side effects.
6. Before treatment evaluation
Physical examination- At first when you visit the specialist your doctor would do your physical examination and would look at your signs and symptoms.
History– Your doctor would take up your family history, your current history, your habits, any associated medical condition, and your overall health status.
Investigations– Your doctor would advise you on various investigations like blood tests, CT scan, MRI scan, X-ray, PET scan, cardiac assessment as per the requirement.
Recommendations– After evaluating the health status and investigations your doctor would advise you on the treatment plan. How is lung cancer diagnosed plays an important role in planning the line of treatment?
7. The treatment options are –
Surgery– Surgery is the first line of treatment provided to patients during the early stage of cancer. The cancer cells are removed and cancer tissue is cut during surgery. The planning of surgery as a line of treatment also depends on the associated medical condition and overall health of the patient.
Radiotherapy- In this treatment high-energy x rays are used to kill cancer cells. It could be used as the first line of treatment, before surgery or after surgery to kill cancer cells.
Radiation therapy is sometimes used with chemotherapy too, to reduce symptoms like cough and pain.
Chemotherapy– This involves the use of drugs to kill the cancer cells. The drug is injected through a vein. Chemotherapy is often advised post-surgery to kill the leftover cancer cells.
Combination treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy is effective in destroying cancer cells.
Nausea is the common side effect of chemotherapy but this could be treated well.
Targeted therapy– Targeted therapy uses drugs that target specific genes involved in the growth of cancer cells.
Palliative treatment– When surgery is not possible due to the age of the patient and other associated medical conditions, palliative treatment is recommended by doctors that include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, medications.
8. How is Lung cancer diagnosed?
Early screening is important to get the right diagnosis and best treatment plan for better clinical outcomes and quick recovery.
Some lung cancers are accidently diagnosed while annual screening, but most of them are found due to signs and symptoms presented by patients.
You must consult your doctor for annual screening if you are a smoker or at risk of developing lung cancer.
As well as consult your doctor immediately if you have any symptoms that is affecting or deteriorating your health.
Lung cancer diagnoses include
Doing a physical examination of the patient
Taking the medical history of the patient
Identifying the risk factors
Investigations like–
CBC (Complete blood count )– CBC profile is a detailed investigation of the blood chemistry of the patient.
Other blood tests– This includes tests like the Liver function test, Kidney function test to check the level of calcium and alkaline phosphatase.
Sputum examination– It includes taking up the cough sample of the patient. The investigation is carried out in the laboratory to check for the presence of cancer cells. Further tests are recommended if the cancer cells are observed in the sputum.
Chest X-ray- This is a simple, non-invasive test done to see the condition of the lungs.
CT scan– Chest X-rays could miss some tumors, if the chest x-ray is suspicious, a CT scan is done to get detailed information about the size of the tumor or if the tumor has spread to other areas of the body.
MRI scan- MRI scan is recommended during the advanced stage of cancer, to look if cancer has metastasized and spread to the brain or parts of the brain.
PET scan– PET scan is highly recommended in lung cancer patients. It is recommended to see the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.
Bone scan– Bone scan is recommended if the PET scan is not done for the patients. However, a PET scan is advised these days to check for metastasis and even as routine follow-up for patients.
Biopsy– To confirm the diagnosis of lung cancer biopsy is recommended for patients. The tissue sample is collected from the patient and a test is done to classify cancer.
9. Final note –
Identifying cancer at an early stage provides a successful treatment outcome.Sometimes lung cancer often presents with signs & symptoms during the early stage of lung cancer it should not be ignored at any cost.
Sign in to leave a comment.