KEYTRUDA for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)
Treating lung cancer
Treatment depends on the type of lung cancer you have and how far it has progressed, as well as your age and general state of health. Here’s a summary of treatments cancer specialists use today:
Surgery
Surgery may be appropriate in early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Careful checking is required to ensure there will be enough healthy lung tissue left after surgery.
During the operation the surgeon removes the lung cancer and a margin of healthy tissue around it. The surgeon may also remove lymph nodes from the chest, so that they can be checked for signs of cancer. Procedures to remove lung cancer include:
- Wedge resection – removal of a small section of lung that contains the tumour, as well as a margin of healthy tissue
- Segmental resection – removal of a larger portion of lung, but not an entire lobe
- Lobectomy – removal of the entire lobe of one lung
- Pneumonectomy – removal of an entire lung
Like any surgery, lung cancer surgery can come with the risk of bleeding and infection. You may expect to feel short of breath after lung surgery. If a portion of the lung was removed, physiotherapy can help to improve breathing as the remaining lung tissue adapts over time.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy (chemo) involves using drugs that kill cancer cells. These drugs can be given through a vein in the arm (intravenously) or taken orally (by mouth). Chemotherapy is usually delivered as a series of treatments, with breaks for recovery in between.
Chemotherapy can sometimes be used before surgery, to shrink cancers and make them easier to remove. It is also often used after surgery, with the goal of killing any cancer cells remaining.
For advanced cancer, chemotherapy can be used to relieve pain and other debilitating symptoms.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy beams, from sources such as X-rays and protons, to target cancer cells. It can be directed at cancer from outside the body (external beam radiation) or it can be positioned inside the body near the cancer (brachytherapy), using a needle or catheter (small plastic tube).
Like chemotherapy, radiation therapy can be used after surgery to kill remaining cancer cells. It can also be used instead of surgery, for lung cancers that can’t be operated on. For advanced lung cancer, radiation therapy may be used to reduce pain and other symptoms.
For very small lung cancer lesions, stereotactic body radiotherapy could be an option. This type of radiation therapy aims many beams of radiation from different angles at the lung cancer.
Personalised drug therapy
Recent advances in lung cancer treatment target specific abnormalities in cancer cells. Some of these treatments are used alone or in combination with chemotherapy drugs.
Immunotherapies, such as KEYTRUDA, are being used to treat advanced non-small cell lung cancer, by helping the immune system to detect and fight cancer cells.
KEYTRUDA may be used as a first treatment option when lung cancer has spread (advanced NSCLC), tests positive for PD-L1 and does not have an abnormal EGFR or ALK gene. More about KEYTRUDA >>
- PD-L1 = programmed death ligand
- EGFR = epidermal growth factor receptor
- ALK = anaplastic lymphoma kinase
Palliative care
You might think of palliative care as ‘end of life’ care, but its true definition is much broader. Palliative care is about providing relief of suffering and improvement of quality of life for you and your family. It should be provided alongside any surgical or medical treatment you are receiving.
Your doctor may introduce you to a palliative care team soon after your diagnosis, to ensure you're comfortable during and after your cancer treatment.
Palliative care for lung cancer can involve:
- Relief from your symptoms and side effects, such as nausea, pain, fatigue, or shortness of breath
- Emotional and spiritual support
- Support for your friends and family, who will be worried about you
How KEYTRUDA works
Questions to ask your doctor about lung cancer
