Lung Cancer: A Guide To Diagnosis And Treatment

A surgeon lays out a clear guide for patients preparing to undergo treatment for lung cancer, emphasizing the importance of staging a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment involving surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Emotional support and alternative treatments are also discussed. 2 illustrations.

Are You Receiving the Best Treatment for Lung Cancer?
If you've been diagnosed with lung cancer, you're probably frightened. And, you probably have many questions. You're wondering about prognosis and treatment. What will the treatments be like? Will you have side effects? But...are you asking whether or not you're receiving the best treatment possible?
According to Walter Scott, M.D., it's an important question to ask. Why? Because, despite advances in lung cancer treatment over the past few years, many lung cancer patients have not received the best treatment possible. Accordingly, Dr. Scott stresses the importance of patients educating themselves about the disease and its treatment so they can seek the best therapies available.
In "Lung Cancer--A Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment," Dr. Scott discusses the most promising therapies for lung cancer, including the multimodality approach--a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Among the other topics he covers:
- Tests for early detection of lung cancer
- Staging the cancer and why it is so important
- Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy . . . how they kill cancer cells
- Alternative treatments . . . can they help?
- The importance of clinical trials
- Coping with emotions such as "smoker's guilt"
A Valuable Resource for Patients and Families