Occasionally, cells can be found in a sputum sample that a patient brings up by coughing, but a physician usually must perform a biopsy with a needle. The biopsy is performed in conjunction with a CT scan or a bronchoscopy to localize the tumor. A bronchoscopy is a procedure in which the doctor puts a small tube down the throat and into the lungs to look directly at a patient's airways. Once a lung cancer diagnosis is established, the doctor and patient will sit down and discuss treatment options. Most patients with small cell lung cancer are treated with chemotherapy .
Some patients also receive radiation therapy .
Patients with non-small cell lung cancer confined to the lung are evaluated for surgery. If possible, surgery is the preferred treatment in these cases. If surgery is not possible, then radiation therapy or a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy is recommended. Chemotherapy usually is considered for patients with non-small cell lung cancer that has spread beyond the lung to other sites in the body. It is important to remember that these are only general approaches and that each patient's case must be considered individually.