Lung cancers are often found in their advanced stages, after they’ve spread to other areas of the body. Because chemotherapy is systemic, meaning it treats the entire body, it works well against these cancers.
At Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, you’re cared for by a team of cancer experts who work together to develop an individualized care plan just for you. They also encourage shared decision-making and give you what you need to take an active role in your care planning.
If they recommend chemotherapy to treat lung cancer, you’ll receive a written oncology care plan. This plan explains in simple language what to expect, including the logistical information that makes it easier to fit chemotherapy treatments into your life.
How Does Chemotherapy Treat Lung Cancer?
Most chemotherapy works by attacking cancer cells as they grow and divide. Doctors use chemotherapy to:
- Cure lung cancer
- Treat and prevent metastatic lung cancer (cancer that has spread beyond the lungs)
- Relieve lung cancer symptoms
- Shrink lung cancer tumors
You may receive oral chemotherapy for lung cancer (taken as a pill or capsule). Or you may receive chemo intravenously (by injection into a vein) or intramuscularly (by injection into a muscle) in our state-of-the-art Oncology Infusion Center. At the center, our chemotherapy-certified nurses deliver chemotherapy drugs in a warm and supportive environment.
Lung Cancer Chemo: Why Choose Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health?
Our lung cancer team includes experts who specialize in chemotherapy for lung cancer. As a group, they create treatment plans informed by their collective expertise and your personal preferences.
Your doctors and oncology nurse navigator are here to support and help you make decisions about your care. To help with decision-making, we also became one of the first hospitals to adopt a practice of financial transparency and include an individualized price estimate up front.
You also benefit from:
- Safer chemotherapy regimens: Our medical oncologists follow national, evidence-based chemotherapy guidelines and consult regularly with our colleagues in the Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center. And the pharmacists at our cancer pharmacy specialize in the safe and accurate handling of all cancer-related medications. They perform intensive, standardized safety checks for each chemo regimen. This process ensures there aren’t any dangerous interactions with your current medications or complication risks.
- “Chemo teaching”: Starting cancer treatment can be stressful, but knowing what to expect can help. Using videos and literature, our infusion nurses prepare you for what lies ahead. They take the time to get to know you beyond your health history and diagnosis, so they can care for you like family—because you are.
- Comfortable infusion rooms: We designed the entire chemotherapy process with your comfort in mind. Our infusion rooms have free Wi-Fi and television, and most are private. Food is available while you’re getting treatment, and you can also bring a guest.
- Convenience: We work hard to keep our schedule flexible when yours can’t be. And our infusion center’s location in the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute in Lancaster means you don’t have to travel far for your appointments.
How We Approach Chemo for Lung Cancer
Your chemotherapy regimen depends on the lung cancer type and stage, along with other personal factors.
You may receive chemotherapy:
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Chemotherapy
If you are diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), your doctor may recommend chemo:
- Before or after surgery: Chemotherapy before surgery is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Doctors may use it to shrink a lung cancer tumor so it’s easier to remove surgically. Chemotherapy after surgery is called adjuvant chemotherapy. Doctors may recommend this treatment to kill any hard-to-find or leftover cancer cells.
- If you have locally advanced cancer: Locally advanced cancer has just started spreading around the lungs. If surgery is not an option for you, your lung cancer team may recommend chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
- If you have metastatic lung cancer: Doctors may use chemotherapy to treat these late-stage cancers.
Small Cell Lung Cancer Chemotherapy
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) grows and spreads more rapidly than non-small cell lung cancer. Because most cases of SCLC are already advanced when they are diagnosed, doctors often use chemo to treat small cell lung cancer.
You may receive chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer:
- Alone or combined with a different chemotherapy drug
- With radiation (chemoradiation)
- With immunotherapy
Dealing with Side Effects of Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer
We understand that potential side effects are a big concern for many people when considering chemo for lung cancer. Your oncologist and nurse navigator will make sure you know what to expect and answer your questions.
Your treatment team also teaches you how to manage side effects at home and how to know when you should be seen in person in our Symptom Management Clinic. Our Symptom Management Clinic offers same-day appointments and care from nurse practitioners and physician assistants who specialize in the management of side effects from lung cancer treatment. Treatments include hydration, IV nausea medications and more.
Our Image Recovery Center, located on the upper level of the cancer institute, offers holistic services like massage and acupuncture to help with symptom management. To help you feel good about your appearance during and after chemotherapy, you can also receive an array of products and salon treatments, including manicures, hair styling and wig fitting.
Request an Appointment for Lung Cancer Care
To make an appointment at the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute, call 717-544-9400 or request an appointment using our online form.