Metastatic Lung Cancer: Treatment Options When Cancer Spreads

If lung cancer is detected through screening, scanning or biopsy methods, staging the cancer is an important next step in determining what treatment or combination of treatments may be best to present to a patient.

Generally speaking, Stage I and II lung cancer patients in good health are usually treated with surgery. However, for those in poor medical condition or those with advanced stage lung cancer that has metastasized to other parts of the body, precise radiation therapy methods, chemotherapy or a combination of treatments may be considered.

For patients diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer, stereotactic body radiation therapy with CyberKnife® may be an important treatment option. For example, a patient’s primary lung tumor may be partially removed with surgery, but due to its proximity to critical anatomy, the entire tumor cannot be removed for risk of complications. Further, the cancer cells that have broken away from the primary lung tumor and spread to another area of the body need be destroyed to prevent further growth and spreading. In this case, CyberKnife treatment may be recommended to kill the remaining cancer cells at the primary tumor site, as well as the distant metastatic tumors that develop.

CyberKnife is a particularly advantageous tool for treating metastatic cancer due to its ability to precisely target tumors and deliver high-doses of radiation with pinpoint accuracy, minimizing radiation exposure to healthy tissue and potentially reducing overall side effects.

Patients should keep in mind that every diagnosis and case is different. CyberKnife treatment may not be appropriate for all metastatic lung cancer patients. Contact us to learn more or schedule a consultation.

This is not intended as medical advice to replace the expertise and judgment of your health care team. It is intended to help you and your family make informed decisions, together with your doctor.