Early detection of lung cancer may improve survival, but this has not yet been shown conclusively.
Range of treatments
Treatment may include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, individually or in combination.
Treatment needs to be tailored to the individual depending on the type and stage of the disease
Surgery
Surgery to remove lung cancer is possible only in a minority of cases. It is not appropriate if cancer has spread to other parts of the body or is in an area of the lung which makes removal impossible.
Radiation/chemotherapy
Radiation and/or chemotherapy may be used to reduce the size of tumours before surgery or as palliative treatment in advanced stages of the disease.
Chemotherapy is curative in only a limited number of cases (~5%).