Lung Cancer Treatment in AU and NZ
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in both men and women.
It is a cancer that starts in the cells of the lungs.
There are two main types of lung cancer:
- Non-small cell lung cancer
- Small cell lung cancer
The approach to treating each is different.
There are many cancers that can start somewhere else in the body, for example the breast or bowel, which spread to the lungs. These are called metastases to the lung but are not lung cancers.
Radiation Therapy and Lung Cancer
The best person to talk to about radiation therapy for lung cancer is a radiation oncologist. A radiation oncologist is a specialist doctor who is part of the team that takes care of people having radiation therapy.
You can ask your doctor for a referral to a radiation oncologist to learn if radiation therapy is an option for you.
The Treatment Team
Doctors make a treatment plan for each person based on:
- the type of cancer
- where the cancer is
- what other treatments have been tried
- the person’s health
The type of treatment a person gets is worked out by a team of doctors and health professionals often called a Multidisciplinary Team.
A highly trained radiation oncology team takes care of people having radiation therapy. This includes radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, medical physicists and radiation oncology nurses.
Treatments for Lung Cancer
Treatments for lung cancer include radiation therapy, surgery, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy.
Small Cell Lung Cancer
Small cell lung cancer is very sensitive to radiation therapy. In fact, radiation oncology teams often just use radiation therapy to treat small cell lung cancer.
Sometimes they use radiation therapy with chemotherapy. Doctors do not use surgery to treat small cell lung cancer.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Radiation oncology teams also treat non-small cell lung cancer with radiation therapy. If the cancer is found early, the radiation oncology team might just use, stereotactic ablative body radiation therapy (SABR) for treatment.
If the tumour is more advanced, but still within the lung, the treatment team may use a mix of chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Combinations of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy drugs can also improve outcomes.
Types of Radiation Therapy Used for Lung Cancer
The use of radiation therapy for lung cancer depends on the type of cancer, how much it has spread and the general health of the person.
Radiation therapy can cure lung cancer. It is also very useful for reducing symptoms from lung cancer, such as pain, shortness of breath or bleeding in the lungs or other parts of the body.
External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) is the most common type of radiation therapy treatment used for lung cancer.
The treatment team use a machine called a linear accelerator to do external beam radiation therapy from outside the body.
Radiation oncologists often use Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT), which is an advanced type of external beam radiation therapy, to carefully deliver radiation to treatment areas.
Image Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT) is always used as part of EBRT. It keeps checking the tumour shape and location to make sure the radiation therapy is safe and correct.
These advanced techniques allow the radiation oncologist to target the radiation on the cancer while protecting healthy parts of the body.
The number of radiation therapy treatment sessions for lung cancer varies and the radiation oncologist decides this.
Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR)
Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR), also known as Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT), is an exciting new treatment for people with lung cancer who cannot have an operation, or for those who do not want one. SABR can cure early-stage lung cancer.
It can also be used when lung cancer has spread to other parts of the body. This is called secondaries or metastases.
SABR is a targeted form of external beam radiation therapy. It gives high doses of radiation to the cancer while protecting healthy body parts. SABR is painless and no surgery is needed. It is very safe and effective.
People usually get 1-5 treatments.
To learn more, watch the interview below with Clinton Payne who was treated for lung cancer with SABR.
SABR Advanced Radiation Therapy, Patient Story Surviving Lung Cancer with Clinton Payne.
In this interview Professor Shankar Siva explains how SABR works.
SABR A Revolution in Radiation Therapy Interview with Professor Shankar Siva.
General Information About Side Effects of Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is more effective with fewer side effects than ever before.
Recent advances mean radiation oncologists can effectively treat the cancer while getting less radiation on healthy body parts. This means much fewer side effects.
Side effects from radiation therapy vary between people, even for those having the same treatment.
While some people feel no side effects, some feel mild side effects, such as tiredness or skin redness during and/or just after treatment. These usually get better within a few weeks.
The treatment team will offer advice and medicine to help with side effects.
Serious side effects that start later (months to years after the radiation therapy) are rare.
Before starting treatment, your radiation oncologist will talk to you about side effects and answer your questions.
The side effects of radiation treatment can be split into 2 groups:
- Early side effects which occur during and shortly after radiation treatment.
- Late side effects which can occur months to years after radiation treatment.
For more information, go to the Potential Side Effects page.
Early Side Effects of Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer
Early side effects occur during and shortly after radiation treatment.
Early side effects of radiation therapy may include:
Fatigue: This is very common in the second half of treatment and varies between people. Fatigue may last for several weeks after treatment.
Swallowing issues: Radiation therapy can cause a feeling like heartburn. During treatment, some people prefer soft food and find it helpful to avoid hot drinks and spicy food. Over the counter medications can help and if these don’t work the doctor will suggest other options.
Skin changes: Redness or tanning of the skin can occur in treated areas. Some people may also feel itchy. This problem usually settles down 2-4 weeks after treatment and creams can help. Some people also have hair loss in the treated area.
Late Side Effects of Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer
Late side effects vary between people and can happen a few months to a few years after treatment.
These side effects may never occur, occur once, continue over time, or come and go.
Breathing difficulty: One to 6 months after radiation therapy some people have breathing problems such as shortness of breath, cough and fever. Doctors can prescribe medicines to help with this.
Lung fibrosis: This may occur in the lung that receives radiation where the tissues become thickened.
Arm weakness or numbness: This rare problem can occur if there’s damage to the nerves that control the arms and hands during treatment.
Spinal cord damage: This is very rare and can occur when doctors treat tumours near the spine. Damage to the spinal cord can lead to numbness and weakness below the area treated.
Second cancer: Cancers caused by radiation therapy are a very rare side effect that can occur more than 10 years after treatment.
Other Useful Resources for Lung Cancer
Find additional information about cancer types, research groups, and support groups.
Radiation Oncologist
The best person to talk to is a radiation oncologist. You can ask your doctor for a referral to find out if radiation treatment is right for you.
GPs and Health Professionals
Information for any health professional involved in a patient's cancer care with a particular focus on primary care providers.
Talking to Your Doctor
Your GP or other doctors in the cancer team can organise a referral to a radiation oncologist.
Treatment Centres
Search and find your closest Radiation Oncology Treatment Centre.