The prognosis for non-small cell lung cancer is somewhat better. If it's caught early, it may be cured with surgery alone. If the disease has spread to localized lymph nodes in the center of the chest, then we offer radiation therapy because it reduces the chance of a local recurrence. Dr. Dainer said. Ongoing studies are looking at whether chemotherapy added to radiation therapy may help these patients survive.
Researchers continue to investigate new ways of treating lung cancer.
Some research focuses on the use of drugs such as Taxol and Taxotere, which though originally approved for breast cancer, show some promise for lung cancer as well. But Dr. Dainer's best advice is to essentially eliminate the risk of lung cancer by not smoking. More than 85 percent of lung cancer is caused by cigarette smoking, and second-hand smoke is responsible for nearly half the remaining cases. In fact, one of the first things Dr. Dainer asks the rare non-smokers with lung cancer is whether they live with smokers.