A Stage IV lung cancer diagnosis means that the cancerous tumors have metastasized and spread to other parts of your body. Unfortunately, the chances of surviving very long after a Stage IV diagnosis are slim. However, there are treatment options that may lead to a cure or may greatly improve your quality of life by reducing pain and discomfort.
Chemotherapy
For Stage IV lung cancer, the five-year survival rate is very low, at less than 10 percent of those diagnosed. However, chemotherapy treatment is still effective. Chemotherapy involves the injection of chemicals designed to target certain cancer cell functions in your body. These chemicals often cause the cancer cells to stop growing or reproducing, thus stopping the spread as your body tries to heal itself. Patients receiving chemotherapy may experience heavy side effects such as fatigue, hair loss and risk of infection due to a taxed immune system. Therefore, doctors often consider the patient's overall health before using chemotherapy.
Clinical Trials
Sometimes the best treatment options for Stage IV lung cancer are those that are still in the testing phase. They can sometimes offer better care than traditional treatments because doctors are acutely focused on your reaction to the treatment. Clinical trials are monitored experiments involving different or alternative treatment methods in development by pharmaceutical companies. For example, elderly patients with late stage lung cancer recently participated in a clinical trial involving the chemotherapy drug combination Gemzar and Paclitaxel. Patients during the trial tended to live one year longer than those treated with either drug alone.
Palliative Care
If it appears that the Stage IV lung cancer is truly terminal, palliative care is another treatment option. Palliative care does not attempt to cure the cancer or completely remove it. Rather, it targets certain aspects of cancer in order to provide the best pain relief and comfort until death. Treatments such as radiation therapy may be applied to certain tumors that are causing the most pain and discomfort. If you have severe breathing problems, your doctor may insert a stent into your airway. Other surgeries could remove entire tumors from the lung completely. Palliative care centers also will consider the mental health and stability of the patient's family, offering them counseling as they deal with their loved one's situation.
Tags: lung cancer, Stage lung, Stage lung cancer, your body, pain discomfort