TREATMENT:

Lung cancer treatment depends on several factors as follows:

• The type of lung cancer you have;
• Where the cancer is within the lung;
• Your general health;
• Whether the cancer has spread (the stage);
• Results of blood tests and scans;
• Your own wishes.

You may find that other people you meet are having different treatment from you. This may be because they have a different type of lung cancer. Or it may be that some of the other factors listed above are different.

Surgery

Before your operation, you will have tests to make sure that you are fit enough for the surgery. You will have some blood tests to check your general health and make sure you are not anemic. You will probably also have an ECG (electrocardiogram).

 To stop blood clots forming, you may be given medicines called heparin, tinzaparin, or dalteparin before the surgery and for a couple of weeks afterwards.

Surgery is mostly used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. But it may be better for you to have other cancer treatment such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy or possibly both if your cancer is very near any of the following structures

• Heart
• Windpipe
• Food pipe (oesophagus)
• Major blood vessels

The type of surgery you have will depend on the size of the cancer and its position within the lung.