What Are the Treatments for Bronchial Cancer?

Bronchial cancer is a specific type of lung cancer that may spread very quickly throughout the rest of the body. The most commonly used treatments for bronchial cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. The type of treatment methods used depends on the stage of the disease as well as whether the cancer has spread to any other location. Any questions or concerns about the type of treatment that is most appropriate in an individual situation should be discussed with a doctor or other medical professional.

Surgery may be considered as a bronchial cancer treatment option in certain situations. This type of treatment is most successful when there is only one tumor found and the cancer has not spread to surrounding lymph nodes or beyond. In these cases, surgical intervention to remove the cancerous tumor has a relatively high chance of success. Unfortunately, this type of cancer has usually spread throughout the body by the time it is diagnosed, making surgery a much less successful treatment option.

Chemotherapy is a common method of treatment for bronchial cancer. Chemotherapy involves the use of a combination of medications that contain chemicals designed to either destroy cancer cells or slow the rate of their growth. In most cases, chemotherapy drugs are given on an outpatient basis through a small tube known as an IV that is placed into a vein. Oral chemotherapy drugs may sometimes be given. Chemotherapy may sometimes be used after surgery for the disease just to make sure that all of the cancer cells have been destroyed.

There are some significant side effects associated with the use of chemotherapy treatment. Hair loss, nausea, and vomiting are among the most commonly reported. The patient will typically be given strong medications aimed at preventing nausea and vomiting just prior to undergoing treatment.

Radiation therapy is another potential bronchial cancer treatment option. This method uses high levels of radiation to destroy cancer cells. Radiation therapy may be used before or after surgery or in combination with chemotherapy treatments. This form of therapy is most often used when the cancer has spread into the surrounding lymph nodes or the brain, although it may be used when there is no evidence that the cancer has spread to the brain in an effort to destroy any cancer cells before they have grown enough to show up on brain scans.