Modern lung cancer treatment includes a range of options, from local tumor destruction to systemic treatments with targeted drugs. Healthcare professionals aim to strike a balance between the effectiveness of the treatment chosen and the patient's quality of life after its completion. On the Booking Health website you can find information about specialized clinics in Germany and other countries, available procedures and treatment costs for lung cancer.

Local treatments

If the diagnostics detects a lung malignancy at an early stage, it can be destroyed with sparing, minimally invasive intervention:

• Radiofrequency ablation. A special needle is inserted into the tumor under CT guidance. Once in place, radio waves are sent through it. These generate heat that destroys the malignant cells.
• Cryotherapy. A cryoprobe is inserted through the trachea and bronchi and placed next to the tumor, where cold temperatures cause the tumor to shrink. The procedure may facilitate the upcoming surgery or remove an endobronchial obstruction.
• Photodynamic therapy. First, a patient receives an injection of a drug that makes malignant cells sensitive to light. After the drug accumulates in the target area, a laser beam destroys the tumor.

Surgery is used at different stages of lung cancer and includes removal of a segment (wedge resection or segmentectomy), a lobe (lobectomy), or the entire lung (pneumonectomy). Whenever possible, physicians prefer minimally invasive procedures, including VATS. Robotic surgery is also on the cutting edge.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy may replace surgery in some cases. It may also be used before or after surgery, or to relieve cancer symptoms.

Stereotactic body radiation therapy is performed instead of surgery, its other name is radiosurgery. During the session, numerous beams of radiation are directed at the tumor from different angles. After receiving such a high dose of radiation, the tumor is destroyed. Radiosurgery doesn’t require incisions and is not connected with surgical risks.

Conventional external beam radiation therapy uses external sources to deliver radiation to the tumor and other affected areas. The radiation dose is significantly lower than with radiosurgery, and treatment can last up to 1-1.5 months.

Internal radiation therapy uses internal sources of radiation to target the tumor. The procedure usually takes only a few minutes and does not require hospitalization.

Another option is prophylactic cranial irradiation, which uses a low dose of radiation to treat the whole brain. This procedure prevents the development of brain metastases, a common complication of lung malignancies.

Systemic treatments

Systemic treatments can be used in advanced stages of cancer because they target all malignant foci in the body. They can also be used in the postoperative period to ensure a longer relapse-free period. Three groups of drugs are currently in use:

• Chemotherapy directly suppresses the growth and reproduction of cancer cells. It is given in cycles, a person typically has 4-6 of them during 3-6 months.
• Immunotherapy makes it easier for a patient’s immunity to fight cancer. These drugs are given intravenously, once every 2-4 weeks.
• Targeted therapy is indicated to people with specific genetic changes. Such medications affect specific proteins in the tumor or its microenvironment.

To plan your treatment beyond the borders of your home country, visit the Booking Health website. Here you will find comprehensive information on clinics, treatment options, prices for complex medical programs, and costs of separate procedures. With assistance from the Booking Health team you can travel abroad for treatment easily.