Lung Cancer
Cancer, it can affect anyone; it can affect any part of the body. The patient outcome for cancer is different for everyone, but it is also different which each type. In the respiratory department, a major type of cancer we will deal with is lung cancer. Lung cancer, however, has different types and stages, but for this paper we are going to talk about Stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the article titled “Stage IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer” it was stated that, “Stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a single cancer mass that is not invading any adjacent organs, but has spread to nearby lymph nodes in the chest.” After classifying the cancer as Stage IIIA, it can be further divided into N1 and N2. These categories
…show more content…
A sputum cytologyis analyzes what the patient coughs up and can also be used when lung cancer is suspected. Khera also stated “While lung cancer can spread to any organ in the body, certain locations--particularly the adrenal glands, liver, brain, and bones--are the most common sites for lung cancer metastasis.” If there is suspect that the cancer has spread to any part of the body, CT scans can be used. A scintigraph can tell if the cancer has spread to the …show more content…
Khera wrote, “That said, the median life expectancy for stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer (the time at which 50% of the patients are alive and 50% have passed away) is around 15 months for stage 3A….The 5 year survival rate -- that is the percentage of people who are expected to be alive 5 years after a diagnosis of stage 3 lung cancer-- is sadly only 23% for stage 3A…” Results have shown that with radiation alone the average survival time is over 30 and 34 months. Adjuvant chemotherapy has increased the 5 year survival rate from 54% to 69% and the 3 year survival rate from 69% to 82%. Strategies to improve treatment for Non-small cell lung cancer is always going on, and there had been great success. Clinical trials are always going on and focus on new drugs or treatments that may help those percentages go up even just the slightest. Finding out you have cancer is never an easy thing, but with all the advancements that happen every year, it's becoming not as
A sputum cytologyis analyzes what the patient coughs up and can also be used when lung cancer is suspected. Khera also stated “While lung cancer can spread to any organ in the body, certain locations--particularly the adrenal glands, liver, brain, and bones--are the most common sites for lung cancer metastasis.” If there is suspect that the cancer has spread to any part of the body, CT scans can be used. A scintigraph can tell if the cancer has spread to the …show more content…
Khera wrote, “That said, the median life expectancy for stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer (the time at which 50% of the patients are alive and 50% have passed away) is around 15 months for stage 3A….The 5 year survival rate -- that is the percentage of people who are expected to be alive 5 years after a diagnosis of stage 3 lung cancer-- is sadly only 23% for stage 3A…” Results have shown that with radiation alone the average survival time is over 30 and 34 months. Adjuvant chemotherapy has increased the 5 year survival rate from 54% to 69% and the 3 year survival rate from 69% to 82%. Strategies to improve treatment for Non-small cell lung cancer is always going on, and there had been great success. Clinical trials are always going on and focus on new drugs or treatments that may help those percentages go up even just the slightest. Finding out you have cancer is never an easy thing, but with all the advancements that happen every year, it's becoming not as