Late stage lung cancer
Late stage lung cancer is an advanced lung cancer that can be challenging to treat. However, disease management has improved significantly in recent years. Our tailored approach and advanced treatments can transform your prognosis and quality of life.
Late stage lung cancer occurs when the disease has spread beyond the lungs to other areas of the body, making treatment more complex.
Late stage lung cancer symptoms
Late stage lung cancer will have noticeable symptoms that can affect your quality of life significantly, including:
- A worsening persistent cough that sometimes leads to coughing up blood (haemoptysis)
- Severe shortness of breath caused by tumour growth, airway obstructions or build-up of fluid (pleural effusion)
- Chest pain that gets worse when breathing, moving or coughing
- Unexplained weight loss due to how cancer affects your metabolism
- Extreme fatigue and lack of energy
- Pain in bones like your ribs, spine or pelvis
- Headaches, confusion, seizures and weakness in your limbs
- Voice changes like hoarseness due to tumours pressing on your vocal cord nerves
- Difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) because of tumours pressing on your oesophagus
- Recurrent infections like pneumonia and bronchitis because of your compromised lung function
Late stage lung cancer symptoms often indicate that the disease has progressed. It requires medical support and, in some cases, palliative care. We’ll be by your side as soon as you contact us so you can receive the support you most need.
Late stage lung cancer diagnosis
A chest X-ray or a low-dose computerised tomography (CT) scan is the first step for diagnosing late stage lung cancer. These diagnostic techniques provide pictures of your lungs and confirm any abnormalities or changes to your condition.
Sometimes, we advise a positron emission tomography (PET) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the size, location and spread of the lung cancer and tumours.
Finally, we may take a biopsy (tissue sample) from suspected tumours. We do this procedure either through a bronchoscopy or surgery. We then examine the sample under a microscope to determine your lung cancer type and support your personalised treatment plan.
Blood and genetic testing can help us tailor treatments to your specific cancer and genetic profile, which may enhance your treatment outcomes.
Lung cancer treatment is more effective the earlier it’s diagnosed. We offer lung cancer screening services to champion early detection and prompt treatment.
Late stage lung cancer treatment
Generally, we cannot cure late stage lung cancer, but treatments can help alleviate the symptoms and enhance your quality of life. Palliative care may use some of these treatments to manage your symptoms.
Managing late stage lung cancer has also improved in recent years and involves:
- Targeted therapies – these medications have transformed late stage lung cancer management, as they selectively attack cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. This option improves outcomes but with fewer side effects.
- Immunotherapy – uses medication and your immune system to fight cancer cells by helping to recognise and attack unhealthy cells.
- Chemotherapy – a common treatment for cancer generally, chemotherapy can stop tumour mutations and be used together with other therapies. For example, antibody-drug conjugates combine chemotherapy and targeted therapy.
- Radiotherapy – this shrinks cancer cells through radiation and can help in controlling your symptoms.
Our multidisciplinary team includes dedicated oncologists, surgeons, radiologists and other specialists who ensure that we collaborate when determining your treatment strategy.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
You can’t always prevent late stage lung cancer, but you can decrease your risk of cancer developing. Lung cancer screening is essential in early diagnosis, and treatment can stop your disease from progressing. Quitting smoking can significantly reduce your risk of developing lung cancer, too.
Although metastatic lung cancer remains incurable, recent advancements (when managed by an expert team of lung cancer specialists) can help some patients live well for years.