FACTS ABOUT QUITTING HELPFUL WEB SITES ON LUNG CANCER SMOKING LUNG CANCER „ According to the American Cancer Society, in The health benefi ts begin immediately after American Cancer Society 2006 nearly 175,000 Americans will learn they quitting smoking. www.cancer.org have lung cancer. This accounts for about 12 „ Quitting smoking makes treatment more effective for percent of cancer diagnoses. people with lung cancer. It also reduces the risks of American Lung Association „ Lung cancer is the second most common cancer infections, improves breathing and reduces the risks www.lungusa.org found in both men and women. associated with surgery. Focus on Lung Cancer „ Talk to your doctor or visit www.lungcancer.org www.smokefree.gov to learn how to quit. Lung Cancer Alliance RISK FACTORS FOR LUNG CANCER www.lungcanceralliance.org Smoking greatly increases your chances of LEARNING ABOUT Lung Cancer Online developing lung cancer. Smoking leads to 85 CLINICAL TRIALS www.lungcanceronline.org percent to 90 percent of all lung cancers. The radiation oncology team is always looking for new „ Other risk factors include exposure to second- ways to treat and cure cancer through studies called hand smoke, radon, asbestos, air pollution and clinical trials. Today’s lung cancer radiation therapy treat- tuberculosis. ments are the result of clinical trials completed in the past ABOUT proving that radiation therapy kills cancer cells and is safe ASTRO long term. For more information on clinical trials, ask your The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and doctor or visit: Oncology is the largest radiation oncology society in the RADIATION THERAPY for SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF world with more than 8,500 members who specialize in LUNG CANCER National Cancer Institute treating cancer with radiation therapies. ASTRO’s mission LUNG CANCER Some indications of lung cancer include: www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials is to advance radiation oncology by promoting excellence in patient care, promoting research and disseminating „ Persistent cough. Radiation Therapy Answers research results. „ Coughing up blood. www.rtanswers.org/treatment/clinical_trials.htm Facts to Help Patients Make an „ Shortness of breath. Informed Decision „ Chest pain. „ Pneumonia or bronchitis. ABOUT THE „ Swelling of the neck or face. RADIATION ONCOLOGY TEAM „ Unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite or fatigue. Radiation oncologists are the doctors who oversee the care of each patient undergoing radiation treatment. Other Some patients may not notice any symptoms. members of the radiation oncology team include radiation therapists, radiation oncology nurses, medical physicists, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THERAPEUTIC dosimetrists, social workers and nutritionists. To fi nd a ra- RADIOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY diation oncologist in your area, visit www.rtanswers.org. Targeting Cancer Care 8280 Willow Oaks Corporate Drive, Suite 500 Fairfax, VA 22031 Phone: 1-800-962-7876 • 703-502-1550 Fax: 703-502-7852 www.astro.org www.rtanswers.org © ASTRO 2006 INTERNAL RADIATION „ Internal radiation or brachytherapy is the placement of radioactive material into or near your tumor. „ Before treatment, a bronchoscopy will be done to place one or two thin plastic tubes into your nose and into the airways of the lung. „ The tube or tubes are then connected to a DIAGNOSING TREATMENT OF EXTERNAL BEAM brachytherapy machine. The tube serves as a LUNG CANCER LUNG CANCER RADIATION THERAPY channel to deliver a dose of radiation by briefl y placing a tiny radioactive source near the lung „ A chest X-ray will often show a lung tumor. Lung cancer treatment depends on several factors, External beam radiation therapy targets your lung including the type and size of the cancer, its loca- cancer. Radiation is given in a series of daily treat- tumor. „ CT scans and PET scans are often used to provide more tion and your overall health. Surgery, radiation ments, Monday through Friday. Treatments are „ After the treatment, the tubes are removed. They detailed information. therapy and chemotherapy are the primary tools painless and last less than 30 minutes. may be placed again if you need more treatment. „ To be certain if you have lung cancer, tissue from your for treating lung cancer and may be used alone or in combination. „ Conventional radiation therapy uses multiple radiation lung will be removed to look for cancer cells. This test is fi elds to target the cancer and keep radiation from called a biopsy. „ Non-small cell lung cancer may be treated with healthy cells. radiation therapy, surgery and chemotherapy. „ The biopsy may be done during a bronchoscopy. „ 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) POSSIBLE During this test, a fl exible tube with a light is inserted „ Small cell lung cancer is usually treated with combines multiple radiation treatment fi elds to deliver SIDE EFFECTS into your nose or mouth to look at the airways of the radiation therapy and chemotherapy. precise doses of radiation to the lung tumor. Tailoring „ Side effects are different for everyone. Some lungs. each of the radiation beams to focus on the tumor A team of doctors will help you decide on the best treat- patients feel fi ne during treatment while others targets the cancer while protecting nearby healthy „ A biopsy may also be done with a thin needle inserted ment for you. This team may include a radiation oncolo- may feel uncomfortable. through the skin directly into the tumor. tissue. gist, a medical oncologist and a surgeon. „ Possible problems may include skin irritation, „ Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) diffi culty or pain when swallowing, and fatigue. is a form of 3D-CRT that modifi es the radiation by varying the intensity of each radiation beam. IMRT is „ Lung radiation may cause shortness of breath. This may be temporary or permanent depending TYPES OF UNDERSTANDING still being studied for lung cancer. RADIATION THERAPY on your cancer and its treatment. LUNG CANCER „ Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is a „ Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common „ Radiation therapy, sometimes called radiotherapy, is specialized form of 3D-CRT that delivers high doses „ With radiation therapy to the chest, you should type of lung cancer. The most common forms of non- the careful use of radiation to safely and effectively of radiation over a period of fi ve to eight days. It is not lose the hair on your head or have an upset small cell lung cancer are squamous cell cancer and treat cancer. currently being evaluated for the treatment of lung stomach. Chest radiation will not affect your ability to have children. adenocarcinoma. „ Cancer doctors, called radiation oncologists, use cancer. This type of treatment is available at only a few „ Small cell lung cancer is less common than non- radiation therapy to try to cure cancer, to control centers around the country. „ Talk to your doctor about any discomfort you small cell lung cancer and looks different when cancer growth or to relieve symptoms, such as pain. feel. He or she can provide treatments to help. examined under a microscope. In the past, small cell „ Radiation therapy works within cancer cells by „ Everyone responds differently to the stress of lung cancer was often called oat cell cancer. damaging their ability to multiply. When these cells cancer and treatment. Doctors, nurses, social Both types of lung cancer can spread to other parts of the die, the body naturally eliminates them. workers and support groups are available to help. body. „ Healthy cells are also affected by radiation, but they are able to repair themselves in a way cancer cells cannot.