Treatment of lung cancer is dependent on the type of cancer, its spread and factors specific to the patient, like general health, other co-existing medical conditions, and stage of cancer. Apart from the traditional treatments like surgery followed by therapies like radiation or chemotherapy, many other treatments are being offered in parallel like homeopathy, acupuncture and so on.

Advanced stage of lung cancer can also be treated with a new technique called photodynamic therapy (PDT) along with the traditional surgery. This is found to be suitable especially if the cancer is still in the location of its origin and not spread and if it is obstructing the air-passage way.

This therapy makes use of light-sensitive medication along with exposure to low level light beams which will kill the cancer cells. Based on where the malignancy is detected, the drug is either injected or applied on the skin.

On administering the medicine, the cancer cells absorb it and then light beam is flashed on that area. This causes the medicine to act with oxygen releasing a chemical which causes death of the cancer cells. This therapy is also believed to work by killing the blood vessels that supply nutrients to the cancer-causing cells and by aiding the immune system to kill these cells. This therapy works only if the area is such that light can penetrate it easily. It is used hence to treat cancer on or just below the skin or any lining of internal organs. The medication may be reachable to different areas in the body, but the technique will work only if the area can be irradiated with light. Advanced stages of cancer can not be treated effectively using PDT.

Benefits of this treatment are: it is less invasive compared to traditional surgeries, cancer can be targeted specifically; unlike radiation, PDT can be used on a particular location repeatedly, and it induces fewer scars.

Research for effectiveness of PDT to treat lung cancer is in progress. This also claims to enhance the quality of life of patients.

The traditional treatment will involve surgery to remove the tumor and some surrounding tissues. In the early stage, a small resection will be sufficient to remove the tumor. In advanced stage, the entire lobe or lung can be surgically removed.

In chemotherapy, drugs will be administered to kill cancer-causing cells followed by surgery or radiation therapy.

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