Non Small Cell Lung Cancer- NSCLC Update

October 21, 2020

2 min read

For patients facing cancer for the first time, the terminology can sound like a foreign language. Here, we'll share everything you need to know about non-small-cell lung cancer in words you can understand so you're on board with the treatment plan and hopeful for the future.

The basics

Non-small-cell lung cancer is the most common variation of lung cancer; it's counterpart is called small cell lung cancer. The difference between the two, as suggested by their names, is the size of the cancer cells, and therefore staging, treatment options and outlook. People with non-small-cell cancer have more treatment options and a better survival rate than those with small cell lung cancer. This article expands on the differences between small and non-small-cell in an easy-to-understand format to support your learning.

Risk factors

Risk factors aren't fully understood by the medical community yet, but we do know that those who have a history of smoking, HIV, or radiation treatment to the chest and those who have been exposed to radon, mineral or metal dust, air pollution, or asbestos seem to be at higher risk of developing non-small-cell lung cancer.

Knowing your risk factors is important for two reasons: 1) you may have some control over some risk factors and reduce them, like smoking, and 2) you may be more alert to signs and symptoms knowing that you're at higher risk of developing the disease.

Signs and symptoms

Every patient experiences non-small-cell lung cancer a little differently, but the signs and symptoms that are seen across the greatest number of patients include:

coughing up blood or blood-tinged sputum
hoarseness
chest pain that worsens with laughing, coughing, or when you take a deep breath
unintentional weight loss
a cough that doesn't go away
shortness of breath
fatigue, weakness, or tiredness
repeat or chronic bronchitis or pneumonia

Because lung cancer can spread to other parts of the body, some patients have symptoms that don't seem to be related like back pain, hip pain, dizziness, problems with balance, jaundice, or swollen lymph nodes.

Diagnosis

If you have signs and symptoms of lung cancer, whether the risk factors apply to you or not, you should schedule an appointment with your primary care provider as soon as possible. Your primary care provider will work to rule out other common conditions that can produce the same symptoms and will likely order both lab tests and imaging tests and perform a physical examination.

The most common imaging tests used to diagnose or rule out lung cancer include CT scan, PET scan, MRI, and bone scan. If something is detected in those images, a procedure like biopsy, bronchoscopy, or thoracentesis may be required to collect and diagnose tissue.

Treatment

Those with non-small-cell lung cancer typically have more treatment options than those with small-cell lung cancer. Treatment options will depend on a number of factors but might include surgery, chemotherapy, targeted treatments, immunotherapy, radiation, or endoscopic stents. Not all of these treatments are available to every patient.

Most patients with localized non-small-cell cancer are still living five years after their diagnosis, which treatment options are often successful in extending life.