Esophageal Cancer

Prevention

Quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. Tobacco smoke is the main risk factor for most types of lung cancer, including large cell. Although studies are looking for ways to diagnose lung cancer earlier, no test has been proven effective yet.

Some recent studies have examined the role of specialized types of CT scanning of the chest, trying to diagnose lung cancers earlier. These studies have suggested that abnormalities of the lung can be detected earlier, some of which turn out to be lung cancers. However, many of the irregularities seen on CT scanning turn out not to be cancer. Most importantly, screening for lung cancer has not yet shown an improvement in prognosis or survival.

Treatment

Your doctor will choose a therapy based on the size and location of the tumor, which define the cancer's stage. Stage I tumors are small and have not invaded the surrounding tissue or organs. Stage II and III tumors invade surrounding tissue and/or organs and have spread to lymph nodes. Stages I through III are further divided into two categories - A and B. Stage IV tumors have spread outside the chest area.

After the stage and extent of the cancer has been determined, the cancer will need one or several types of treatment. This could include the surgical removal of the cancer, treating the area of the cancer with radiation, or using chemotherapy or other newer types of treatment that hold promise for lung cancer patients. In general, treatments are meant to shrink the tumor or remove the tumor. Even after treatments are performed, patients with lung cancer are continued to be followed for months to years, since even if the cancer has shrunk, it still may regrow or return at some later time.

Surgery is the primary treatment for large cell carcinoma that has not spread. For small, localized tumors, it might be possible to remove only a small section of the lung. More extensive cancer might require removing one lobe of the lung or the entire lung. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be combined with surgery to help prevent the cancer from coming back.