Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer. This is a serious disease. But treatment has advanced significantly in recent years. At UVA Health, you'll have a dedicated lung cancer team to give you the latest treatments available. Always looking for ways to improve care, we offer several clinical trials for NSCLC.
Our high level of expertise and clinical trials are some of the things that set us apart. And it's why we're a Comprehensive Cancer Center, a hard-to-achieve title from the National Cancer Institute.
Treatment for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer at UVA Health
Surgery offers the best chance of cure for lung cancer. At UVA Health, you'll find thoracic surgeons who have the highest performance ratings for lung cancer surgery. We use techniques to remove as little lung tissue as possible.
Treatment often involves more than surgery. We offer the most effective treatment for each patient based on their unique tumor characteristics. This is known as precision medicine.
Treatment for lung cancer often includes:
Targeted therapy drugs: These drugs target specific genes or proteins found in cancer cells. They can be more effective and have fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy.
Immunotherapy drugs: These boost the body's immune system to attack cancer cells. They have been shown to be effective in treating NSCLC, particularly in patients whose cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
Combination therapy: We use two or more different treatments together, such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy or chemotherapy and targeted therapy. This approach is often more effective than using a single treatment alone.
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT): We deliver high doses of radiation to the tumor while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. This approach is particularly effective for treating early-stage NSCLC.
Lungs move as we breathe. This makes targeting radiation hard. So our radiation oncologists use the most precise technology, TomoTherapy, to target tumors.
Learn more about lung cancer surgery and treatment at UVA Health.
Diagnosis
At UVA Health, we have the latest tests and procedures to detect, diagnose, and stage non-small cell lung cancer. Some of the following tests and procedures may be used:
- Physical exam and history
- Laboratory tests
- Chest x-ray
- CT scan
- PET scan
- Sputum cytology
- Fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the lung
- Bronchoscopy
- Thoracoscopy
- Thoracentesis
- Light and electron microscopy
- Immunohistochemistry
We'll tailor treatment based on the stage and type of lung cancer. We'll also consider your overall health. A lung cancer diagnosis is challenging. But advances in treatment have led to improved outcomes and survival rates for patients with NSCLC.