Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Chemo WorksTreatment OptionSide EffectsCoping With ChemoPrognosis
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Chemo Works
Treatment Option
Side Effects
Coping With Chemo
Prognosis
Chemotherapy for lung cancer is used for different purposes depending on the type and stage of cancer you have. This includes achievingcancer remission, shrinking a tumor before surgery, killing remaining cancer cells after surgery, or relievinglung cancer symptomswhen the disease cannot be treated.
Chemotherapy(“chemo”) is generally given in a series ofintravenous (IV)infusions, known as a cycle, either on its own or with other treatments. Although chemo drugs can help cure or control cancer, they can cause side effects, many of which can be managed with medications and dietary or lifestyle changes.
Kevin Laubacher / The Image Bank / Getty Images
How Chemotherapy Works for Lung Cancer
Chemotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that employs drugs that arecytotoxic(meaning poisonous to cells). They act specifically on fast-replicating cells likecancer cells, targeting and destroying their DNA and preventing cellular division (mitosis). This action helps shrink tumors or eliminate them completely.
Chemotherapy for lung cancer is typically givenintravenously(into a vein) over several hours. The IV infusions are delivered in cycles lasting three to four weeks. Depending on the type of cancer you have and the drugs selected, chemotherapy may be given once during each cycle or, in some cases, weekly.
The aim of chemo can differ depending on thelung cancer typeandstage. These are referred to as:
Chemotherapy may be used on its own or incombinationwith surgery,radiation therapy, orimmunotherapy.
Types of Chemotherapy Drugs Used
There are two main types of lung cancer, callednon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)andsmall cell lung cancer (SCLC). Each is treated differently with chemotherapy.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for roughly 85% of all lung cancers. While not everyone with NSCLC needs chemotherapy, it is generally used for each of the four stages of NSCLC (Stages 1 through 4) as follows:
Chemotherapy drugs commonly used for NSCLC include:
For early-stage NSCLC, two chemotherapy drugs are commonly prescribed, one of which would include either cisplatin or carboplatin (known as the “platinum drugs”).
For advanced NSCLC, only one chemo drug may be used, especially for people in poor health, who are elderly, or who are unable to tolerate combination therapy.
Small-Cell Lung Cancer
For SCLC, chemotherapy is usually prescribed as follows:
SCLC is generally treated with a combination of chemo drugs, most commonly:
Side Effects of Chemotherapy
Different people respond to chemotherapy differently, with some experiencing minimal side effects and others developing intolerant side effects.
The most common include:
Coping With Chemotherapy
Some of the more useful tips include the following:
Theprognosis(predicted outlook) for lung cancer is improving every year with earlier detection and newer, more effective treatments extending life expectancy and survival times.
According to updated data from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), people diagnosed with lung cancer today have afive-year survival rateof 26.7%. What this means is that roughly three of every 10 people with lung will live forat leastfive years following their diagnosis.
The rate can be far better or worse depending on how early or advanced the cancer is. NCI statistics from 2024 break this down as follows:
The survival rate is not a hard and fast rule. The NCI statistics are based onallpeople with lung cancer, irrespective of age, general health, cancer type, treatment, or co-existing medical conditions (such as heart disease, obesity, or diabetes).
As such, someone who is younger and healthier may stand a far better chance of long-term survival than someone who is elderly or in poor health. At the same time, someone who is healthy and has a strongperformance status(meaning the ability to care for themselves) is more likely to withstand aggressive cancer treatments than someone who is frail.
For this reason, survival rates should only serve as a general guideline as to how long you may live with lung cancer.
Summary
Chemotherapy for lung cancer involves one or more drugs given intravenously that can help shrink tumors before surgery, clear remaining cancer cells after surgery, slow tumor progression, or reduce symptoms if a cure is not possible. Remission is also possible with early-stage cancer.
The choice of drugs can vary based on your cancer stage and whether you have non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Side effects like fatigue, nausea, hair loss, skin changes, and peripheral neuropathy are common but can often be managed with medications and/or changes in diet or lifestyle.
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Lung Association.Chemotherapy for lung cancer.
MedlinePlus.Types of chemotherapy.
American Cancer Society.Chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.
National Cancer Institute.Small cell lung cancer treatment (PDQ®)–patient version.
American Cancer Society.Chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer.
American Cancer Society.Chemotherapy side effects.
MD Anderson Cancer Center.12 chemotherapy tips from cancer patients who’ve been there.
National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER).Cancer fast stats: lung and bronchus cancer.
West HJ, Jin JO.Performance status in patients with cancer.JAMA Oncol. 2015;1(7):998. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.3113
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
