Lung Cancer non-operative treatments Flashcards
What non-surgical treatment is used for Stages 1 and 2 NSCLC?
Post-op chemo can be given (cisplatin) this increases survival rates by 15%.
What treatments are used for stage 3 NSCLC?
Preoperative (neoadjuvant) chemo which is not used in stages 1 and 2 preoperatively as it is usually not required to cure those stages and will just make them ill and potentially delay the surgery.
Adjuvant Immunotherapy
Radical radiotherapy ~20% 5 year survival rate
ChemoRT ~27% survival rate
What does SABR stand for and what is it used for?
Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy is only used for tumours up to 4cm in size, as it is a higher dose of radiation as it is being fired from many directions, the amount needed for a tumour larger than 4cm would be too much for the patient to handle.
What treatment is used for Stage 4 tumours?
These can not be cured so palliative care is given.
What treatment is used for SCLC?
Chemotherapy is the treatment of choice and is best combined with RT.
What is the median survival rate of SCLC limited disease with and without treatment?
8 months without treatment
16 months with treatment
What is the median survival of extensive disease SCLC with and without treatment?
8 weeks without
8 months with treatment
What does limited disease mean?
It is an old term meaning disease confined to one hemithorax (one lung).
What are the side effects of chemotherapy?
Hair loss Nausea Marrow suppression Vomiting Lethargy Increased risk of MI
What are the side effects of Radiotherapy (RT)?
Lethargy
Fibrosis
Pneumonitis (inflammation of the lung)
Increased risk of MI
What are the side effects of Immunotherapy?
Anything -it is
E.g. pneumonitis, colitis, dermatitis
How does immunotherapy work (for SCLC treatment)?
It prevents T cells from being inactivated by PDL-1 which is found on the cancer cells.
