Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is metastatic lung cancer. Metastatic cancer is when the cancer spreads to other parts of the body away from where it started. The cancer may have spread from the lungs to one other part of the body, or to multiple parts of the body. Although it is more complicated to deal with cancer in multiple areas of the body, there are still a variety of metastatic NSCLC treatment options.
Some Common Metastatic NSCLC Treatment Options
Most patients with metastatic NSCLC would not receive surgery or radiation therapy as their main treatment. Surgery or radiation therapy may be additionally implemented to help the patient live longer and to help relieve symptoms. However, most patients will receive systemic therapy as their main metastatic NSCLC treatment. Systemic therapy includes chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
The goal of any systemic therapy is to try and shrink the cancer. Other goals include relieving the patient’s discomfort, preventing the cancer from spreading more, and prolonging a patient’s life. Systemic therapy may be capable of getting rid of NSCLC at this stage; however, unfortunately, it often returns in many patients.
First-line treatment is the first drug or combination of drugs taken by the patient—the first treatment attempt. If first-line treatment does not work, it may be followed by second-line treatment and then possibly third-line treatment. Every patient is different. What works for one patient may not work for another. Doctors have to try and find what works best for each patient.
First-line treatment usually tries to target the genetic changes in the tumour itself. Second-line treatments will focus on the tumour’s gene mutations with awareness of what the previous treatment was and did. Third-line treatment will often consist of chemotherapy that uses either pemetrexed or docetaxel.
When a patient has metastatic NSCLC, they are best off consulting a doctor who has experience dealing with this kind of cancer. Even so, doctors will often have differing opinions about what the best treatment option is, so getting a second opinion is often a good idea before starting any treatment. You, as the patient, should be comfortable with your own treatment plan.
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