Lung Cancer

Among Vermonters, lung cancer is the second most common form of cancer and the leading cause of cancer death. Lung cancer is cancer that forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages.

About Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most preventable kinds of cancer—nearly 90 percent of lung cancer cases are due to smoking.

Today, about 19.5 percent of Vermonters - or roughly one in every 5 people - smoke tobacco products. In a year's time 1,000 Vermonters will die of smoking-related diseases, including heart diseases and cancers. That's 20% of all deaths in Vermont that could have been prevented. (Source: Vermont Department of Health).

To find out more about how CVMC can help you quit smoking through our various FREE Tobacco Cessation programs, click here.

Symptoms of Lung Cancer

Sometimes lung cancer does not cause any symptoms and is found during a routine chest x-ray. Symptoms may be caused by lung cancer or by other conditions. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:

• A cough that doesn’t go away.
• Trouble breathing.
• Chest discomfort.
• Wheezing.
• Streaks of blood in sputum (mucus coughed up from the lungs).
• Hoarseness.
• Loss of appetite.
• Weight loss for no known reason.
• Feeling very tired.

(Source: National Cancer Institute)

Types of Lung Cancer

The two primary types of lung cancer are:

• Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
• Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)

Treatment Options

Treatment options and prognosis vary depending on the type of cancer, the stage (size of tumor and whether it has spread), and overall patient health.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation Therapy may be recommended before or after surgery in order to eliminate any remaining cancer cells potentially surrounding the surgical area. Radiation typically begins one month after surgery in order to allow the tissue time to heal.

The National Life Cancer Treatment Center at CVMC has state-of-the-art radiation therapy technology, along with a team of highly skilled and caring professionals.

Learn more about our Radiation Oncology Services.

Medical Oncology

Our professional team of medical oncologists and nurses at our oncology and hematology medical group practice provides the latest in chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, and biological therapy.

Learn more about our Medical Oncology and Hematology services.

Additional Information

For more indepth information about different types of lung cancer and treatment options, also visit the following online resources:

• American Cancer Society:
  www.cancer.org/Cancer/LungCancer-Non-SmallCell
  www.cancer.org/Cancer/LungCancer-SmallCell
• National Cancer Institute
  www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/lung