Know the future of treating lung cancer

Lung cancer aggregates 6.9% of all new cancer cases and 9.3% of cancer-related deaths in India according to current reports. The numbers represent both sexes and all regions of India, metro and rural areas. While it is more prevalent in people who smoke, non-smokers are not entirely exempt from lung cancer.

With the increased pollution rates in India and increasing stress levels, lung cancer is becoming exceedingly common in Indian households.

There are two types of lung cancer, small-cell lung cancer, and non-small-cell lung cancer. The two types of lung cancers grow and spread differently. Lung cancer treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, radiation, a combination of these, and experimental therapies.

However, the prognosis can still be dire without the help of a reputed cancer specialist because lung cancer is generally discovered in advanced stages.

Successful Treatments of Lung Cancer

The primary difficulty of treating lung cancer is that, more often than not, lung cancer is discovered in the late stages of the disease. Cancer specialists have little to no choice in choosing an appropriate therapeutic approach in such cases.

However, if health care professionals, as well as at-risk individuals, remain vigilant, arresting the disease before it’s too late may be possible. Also, some treatments have shown positive outcomes in lung cancer.

An example of effective treatment for stage IV lung cancer is shown in a study published by the Indian Journal of Medical and Paediatric Oncology, 2013. In the study, a 53-year-old male with stage IV non-small-cell lung cancer is treated with multimodality therapy instead of palliative chemotherapy or palliative surgery. The results are positive for a particular subset of patients. However, PET-CT and proper staging are required for a higher success rate.

According to BMC Cancer's 2018 study, Crizotinib has also shown positive results in treating non-small-cell lung cancer. 

Future of Treating Lung Cancer

• Surgery

Surgery is an important treatment option for lung cancer, and currently, doctors use video-assisted thoracic surgery to remove certain tumors associated with lung cancer. It is more precise and less invasive surgery.

Cancer specialists are also studying VATs to determine its efficacy in removing larger tumors. New tools and mechanisms are being developed every day, improving the future of cancer treatment; there are endoscopic staplers, remote control panels for robot-assisted surgery, and many other latest innovations in cancer treatment.

• Real-time tumor imaging

The latest research on cancer treatment has revealed that researchers are trying to implement new imaging techniques like four-dimensional computed tomography or 4DCT to improve treatment options. Unlike

standard CT scans, 4DCT scans the chest continuously for 30 seconds recording the placement of tumors related to other structures within the human body as the person breathes. With the help of 4DCT, cancer

specialists can deliver radiation more efficiently, and they can also determine where other structures within the vicinity of the tumor are located; this helps in determining which cases can be considered for surgery.

• Targeted Therapy

As scientists learn more about how lung cancer grows and spreads, armed with the latest research on cancer treatment they are developing targeted therapy drugs to use against non-small-cell lung cancer or NSCLC. These drugs are already approved for use in other cancers and are being studied for NSCLC with a change in the RET gene. The drugs being studied are sunitinib, sorafenib, vandetanib, and cabozantinib.

Moreover, the best lung cancer treatment can be created by amalgamating several experimental and tested procedures. For brain metastases associated with lung cancer, for example, new radiation techniques like

SRS with fewer side effects are being used. Another drug, AZD3759, is in clinical trials for treating NSCLC with an EGFR gene change. It is showing promising results and can cross the blood-brain barrier according to recent studies. For treating patients with brain metastases due to NSCLC with an EGFR gene change, epitinib, a kinase inhibitor is also showing promising results.

• Immunotherapeutic Treatments

Immunosuppressant drugs are also being used to help a cancer patient's immune system to fight cancer. Some of the drugs are already approved, while others are in different phases of a clinical trial.

Conclusion

Despite the constant improvements in cancer treatment, the future of cancer treatment relies on the best cancer doctors in town. Dr. Manish Singhal, for example, is lauded as the best lung cancer doctor in Delhi

NCR, the best oncologist in Delhi NCR, and offers excellent treatment for lung cancer in Noida. So, if you are looking for a cancer specialist in Delhi who keeps himself updated on all the new technologies available worldwide for lung cancer treatment, you can put your trust in Dr. Manish Singhal.