IF I AM DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 4 NSCLC, WHAT KINDS OF TREATMENT OPTIONS DO I HAVE?
Stage 4 NSCLC, also called metastatic lung cancer, is the most advanced stage of the disease. Treatment options may depend on where and how extensively the cancer has spread, biomarker status, and the patient’s overall health. Your doctor may recommend one or more of the following treatment options.
TREATMENT OPTIONS
TARGETED THERAPY
A type of treatment that identifies and attacks certain biomarkers or mutations that drive the cancer to grow and spread. Targeted therapy may also affect healthy cells.
CHEMOTHERAPY
A cancer treatment that interferes with the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. Chemotherapy may also affect healthy cells.
IMMUNOTHERAPY
Drug therapy that uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Immunotherapy may also affect healthy cells.
RADIATION
A kind of treatment that uses high-energy X-rays or waves to kill cancer cells, or keep them from growing. Radiation may also affect healthy cells.
TARGETED THERAPY
A type of treatment that identifies and attacks certain biomarkers or mutations that drive the cancer to grow and spread. Targeted therapy may also affect healthy cells.
IMMUNOTHERAPY
Drug therapy that uses the body’s
immune system to fight cancer.
Immunotherapy may also affect healthy cells.
CHEMOTHERAPY
A cancer treatment that interferes with
the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the
cells or by stopping them from dividing.
Chemotherapy may also affect healthy cells.
RADIATION
A kind of treatment that uses
high-energy X-rays or waves to kill cancer cells,
or keep them from growing.
Radiation may also affect healthy cells.
IF MY LUNG CANCER HAS AN EGFR MUTATION,
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR MY TREATMENT OPTIONS?
If your stage 4 NSCLC has an EGFR mutation, your lung cancer may be treated with a targeted therapy called EGFR Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (TKI). This type of treatment can block the signal from EGFR that tells the cancer cells to grow.
As a result, targeted therapy may give you more time without cancer growing or spreading.
