Lung Cancer Treatment In India With Highest Success Rate
Are you confused about your treatment decision regarding your early-stage lung cancer?
Although many advanced technologies are there to treat lung cancer, only reputed hospitals and efficient surgeons can apply those technologies correctly.
But you would need advanced technology and specialists under your budget to get the best medical care and treat cancer successfully.
Lung cancer treatment in India can help you fulfil your dream of living cancer-free.
So, without further ado, let us learn about lung cancer and how coming to India can help you be treated.
What is Lung Cancer?
Cancers of the lungs arise from irregular cell formations in lung tissue that multiply beyond normal rates. They can be specialized to attack neighbouring tissues or to form tumors. As another type of cancer, lung cancer can occur in any area of the lungs and different parts of the respiratory tract.
Well, before we proceed, let’s identify different forms of lung cancers:
What are the different types of lung cancer?
Lung cancers mainly consist of two broad categories: SCLC and NSCLC. Based on the cellular type, which includes the SCLC and NSCLC, this classification is based on how the tumor cells look when directly observed under the optical microscope.
About 10% to 15% of all lung cancers are SCLC. This type grows faster than any other carcinoma. SCLCs generally spread very rapidly throughout the body invading many organs in return.
One of the most common types of cancer in the lungs is non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and approximately 85% of all cases are NSCLC. It can be classified into three major categories according to the type of cells found in the tumor.
Principal subtypes are adeno, squamous cell, and large cell carcinoma.
Adenocarcinoma
Adenocarcinoma begins in cells that normally release substances such as mucus.
Generally, adenocarcinoma occurs near the boundary of the lung and is more likely to be detected before it has spread.
Squamous cell carcinoma
It starts with squamous (Thin, flat scales like fish skin) cells that mostly affect smokers.
Large cell carcinoma:
It can occur anywhere in the lungs. It grows fast and spreads making it difficult to handle.
The lung may have other tumors along with the most common forms of this disease.
Lung carcinoids
Lung carcinoids make up less than 5% of lung tumors. Most of these tumours grow slowly.
Other lung tumors
These include Adenoid cystic carcinoma, lymphoma, and sarcoma among others which are different types of cancer that attack people’s lungs.
We should first get acquainted with the different phases of lung cancer.
What are the different stages of Lung Cancer?
Currently, the stages of Lung Cancer are divided into five; however, it is also worth to understand the earlier staging that includes stages 0, I, II, III and IV.
The stage of cancer indicates where the cancer is situated with other organs, its size and how it has progressed to other factions of the lungs or other organs if it is lung cancer.
Physicians going through the layer of mucous membrane of respiratory system are likely to identify existing strange cells. This type can be cancerous but are not invasive, and has no connection with other parts of the body.
The cases in stage 1 are categorized into two sub-types:
- Stage 1A: Cancer of the lung refers to a tumor of 3 cm or less in a dimension that has not reached the nodes or any other organ of the body.
- Stage 1B: Sometimes the lung cancer tumor is bigger than 3 centimetres but not more than 4 centimetres, and it does not involve the lymph nodes. The cancer did not spread to the nearby lymph nodes.
The cases in stage 2 are categorized into two sub-types:
- Stage 2A: The lung cancer tumor is less than 5 cm, but greater than 4 cm, and did not metastasize the lymph nodes. Lungs have collapsed or are pneumonic.
- Stage 2B: In some cases, the lung cancer tumor is 5 cm or smaller and has reached the lymph nodes situated in the same region of the chest as the original tumor.
There are three sub-types of stage 3 non-small cell lung cancer:
- Stage 3A: The tumor is less than 5 cm and reaches the lymph nodes in the same area of the chest where the primary tumor was detected. Lung cancer is of any size and has reached the trachea, or esophagus, among other parts of the body.
- Stage 3B: The tumor is five cm or less, and the carcinoma has reached the lymph node above the collarbone in the same area of the chest.
- Stage 3C: The tumor is of any size and the lymph nodes have been affected to the same or opposite side of the chest.
Stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer cases are categorized according to two subtypes:
- Stage 4A: One has to agree that at least one tumor is present in a lung that is opposite to the place where it seems to originate in the human body. Cancer affects the sac around the heart of the tissue surrounding the lungs known as mesothelium.
- Stage 4B: This means that cancer has progressed to different parts of at least a distant organ of the lung.
What are the main signs & symptoms of lung cancer?
While most lung cancers do not cause symptoms until they have spread, some people with early lung cancer do have symptoms. Once you are aware of your symptoms, check with your doctor and begin treatment.
Some common symptoms of lung cancer include:
- A cough that does not disappear or which worsens.
- Blood spit or rusty-coloured spit (spit or phlegm)
- Chest pain often worsens with deep respiration, cough, or laughter.
- Hoarseness
- Decreased appetite.
- Unexplainable Weight loss
- Running out of breath.
- Feeling exhausted or weak.
- Infections like bronchitis and pneumonia do not disappear or continue to return.
- Wheezing
If lung cancer extends to other areas of the body, it can result in:
- Bone pain (for example, back or hip pain)
- Changes in the nervous system (headache, weakness or numbness of an arm or leg, dizziness, balance problems or convulsions), from cancer to the brain.
- The skin and eyes become yellowish.
- Enlarged lymph nodes (accumulation of immune system cells) such as those in the neck or above the collarbone.
What causes Lung cancer?
Several factors can raise the risk of lung cancer. Certain risk factors can be controlled, such as stopping smoking. And other factors are out of control, such as family history.
Lung cancer risk factors include, but are not limited to:
- Smoking
- Exposure to 2nd-hand smoke
- Past radiotherapy
- Exposure to radon (Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer) emissions
- Exposure to asbestos or other cancer-causing substances
- Family history of lung carcinoma
What are the tests to diagnose lung cancer?
Lung cancer diagnosis tests include:
An X-ray of your lungs can reveal abnormal masses or nodules. A CT scan may reveal small lesions in your lungs that may not be detected by radiography.
If you have a cough and produce sputum, watching sputum under the microscope may sometimes reveal the presence of lung cancer cells.
A mediastinoscopy is surgery performed for the assessment of a space in the thorax called the mediastinum. This is the area in the back of the sternum or breast bone located in the mid-chest and to the right and left of the center between the two main parts of the lungs. This space contains:
- Lymph nodes
- The heart and its great vessels
- The windpipe (trachea)
- The thymus gland (a gland in the body system)
Their location can be accessed with a tool known as a mediastinoscope. This is a flexible and long in shape tube that contains a light as well as a minicam. It enables the healthcare provider to visualize the organs and structures present at the mediastinum region. It also involves the capability to send them directly to the computer screen, and then, record them.
The procedure is used mainly to undertake lymphadenectomy when one has lung cancer or lung disease. The nodes are scrutinized to discern the degree of spread of the cancer. This can assist in identifying the proper management strategies that are integral to combating lung cancer.
EBUS bronchoscopy is a process of diagnosing various conditions in the lungs which may be inflammation, infection, or development of cancer.
This procedure is conducted by a pulmonologist. It involves passing a wire with a camera through the mouth and into the windpipe and lungs.
EBUS has an integrated video camera and an ultrasound probe to take pictures of your lung’s lymph nodes to determine areas of the lungs or enlarged lymph nodes seen on x-rays or scans that require more information.
After biopsy, some abnormal cells of your lung can be taken from your body.
Bronchoscopy or mediastinoscopy may also be performed by the doctor to get a biopsy.
Knowing about the cancer stage helps you and your physician determine which treatment is better.
Staging tests can include imaging procedures that allow your doctor to research evidence that cancer has spread beyond your lungs. They include computed tomography, MRI, PET, and bone scans. Not every test is suitable for every person, so talk to your doctor about the procedures that work for you.
What are the common approaches of doctors to treat different stages of lung cancer?
Once your doctor confirms lung cancer the first thing that you think is the treatment for it. But before confirming any treatment method you must understand that the treatment varies based on the stage of cancer, location, and extent of spread of cancer.
Based on the stage of cancer the different treatment approaches are:
Your doctor may advise surgery to remove the cancer cells from your lungs and adjacent lymph nodes. Generally, doctors advise chemotherapy after the surgery to ensure that you are cancer-free.
The treatment of stage 2 lung cancer is very similar to the treatment of stage 1 lung cancer. However, sometimes your doctor may suggest chemotherapy or radiation therapy to shrink the cancer before the surgery.
For treating stage 3 lung cancer your doctor may suggest surgery followed by chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Sometimes your doctor may advise targeted therapy for you.
It is difficult to reverse advanced lung cancer. However, your doctor may advise you on some medicines to manage the symptoms.
Which country is best for lung cancer treatment?
Getting diagnosed with cancer is overwhelming but it is essential to ensure that you get the best treatment at an affordable price. Before choosing a country for lung cancer treatment you must ensure:
- The chosen country has world-class healthcare facilities with other advanced technologies for treatment.
- The country you have chosen has high survival ratios for people who underwent lung cancer treatment.
- The country has a high lung cancer treatment success rate.
- The cost of treatment, and stay in the chosen country is affordable.
Besides, checking on the availability of world-class treatment and affordability, you must also consider other factors like:
- Availability of connecting flights,
- Ease of local transportation, and
- Safety of the selected country.
It is not uncommon for people to prefer Western nations for the treatment of cancer, the cost of lung cancer treatment in those countries is usually high.
Unlike Western nations, the cost of lung cancer treatment in India is almost half. Besides offering reasonable treatment, the hospitals in India offer you modern treatment facilities, with high success and survival ratios for lung cancer treatment.
