Lung Cancer Treatment Options | Huntington Hospital

Cancer of any kind is never a welcome diagnosis. The physical and emotional challenges it brings are many and occur at a time when one must absorb a tremendous amount of vital information. Although we are lucky to live in a time when there are more cancer treatment options than ever before, deciding on a course of care can be a daunting experience.

There are many factors that determine how to treat lung cancer. From your diagnosis onward, our team of experts is here for you, your family and loved ones to help determine the best course of treatment and support you at every step in your journey.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays that specifically damage rapidly diving cells, preventing them from expanding. It may be used alone or together with other cancer treatments such as surgery or chemotherapy.

Radiation Therapy Treatment Room Lung Cancer

As one of the most respected comprehensive radiation oncology departments in Southern California, our mission is to exceed the high customer service expectations of our communities and provide the most effective delivery of therapeutic oncology services in a caring and compassionate setting.

Our radiation oncology experts work together as a team, planning every step of your course of care. Our physicians are board-certified radiation oncologists who specialize in delivering precision radiation therapy using state-of-the-art equipment.

Your other team members include: RNs specially trained in cancer care, radiation therapists, physicists and a dietitian. Our special radiation nurse navigators will help schedule your necessary appointments, answer your questions and personally guide you through your treatment course.

Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with use of drugs. The drugs used for lung cancer are usually given either orally or intravenously (IV).

chemotherapy lung cancer patient's hand with IV

Chemotherapy drugs work by stopping cancer cells from dividing or multiplying, targeting cells that grow and divide quickly. Some chemotherapy agents target cells at a specific part of the cell cycle, and some may destroy cancer cells at any part of the cell cycle. Chemotherapy is unique in that it can reach cancer cells in any area of the body, unlike surgery and radiation which target a local area.

Chemotherapy is given in cycles, with each period of treatment followed by a recovery period. You and your Medical Oncologist will decide which regimen is right for you.

Lung Surgery at Huntington Hospital Dr. Robbin Cohen

Huntington Hospital is a regional referral center for thoracic oncology, or cancer of the chest. Our thoracic surgeons work closely with primary care physicians, pulmonologists, medical oncologists and radiation oncologists throughout Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley. You can be sure you are in expert hands.

Surgery on the lungs may be done for a variety of reasons. The type of surgery performed depends on the location of the tumor in the lung.

Huntington Hospital offers a variety of surgical procedures, including:

Fiberoptic and rigid bronchoscopy
Mediastinoscopy
Video-assisted thorascopic surgery (VATS)
Robotic Thoracic Surgery
Pulmonary resection for primary and metastatic tumors
Surgical therapy for tumors of the mediastinum, chest wall and esophagus
Surgical therapy in combination with multimodality treatment for complicated or advanced thoracic malignancies