Recurrent non-small cell lung cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. The cancer may come back in the brain, lung, or other parts of the body.1
Treatment Options for Recurrent Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Treatment of recurrent non-small cell lung cancer may include the following:
- External radiation therapy as palliative therapy, to relieve pain and other symptoms and improve the quality of life.
- Chemotherapy alone.
- Surgery (for some patients who have a very small amount of cancer that has spread to the brain).
- Laser therapy or internal radiation therapy.
- Radiosurgery (for certain patients who cannot have standard surgery).
- A clinical trial of biologic therapy or other new treatments.
This summary section refers to specific treatments under study in clinical trials, but it may not mention every new treatment being studied. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.
Check for clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with recurrent non-small cell lung cancer.
1 Note: The text and images above are in the public domain and were reproduced or adapted from the websites of the National Cancer Institute (NCI): http://www.cancer.gov/ and http://visualsonline.cancer.gov/.