Understanding your treatment options for lung cancer
Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy is a treatment that uses pulses of radiation to destroy cancer cells.
The three main ways we deliver radiotherapy for lung cancer are:
Intensive course of radiotherapy – This can be given to try to cure a non-small cell lung cancer where it is not possible to offer surgery. This is known as radical radiotherapy. It is usually given in 20 treatments, known as fractions. You would normally attend each weekday, Monday to Friday, with the weekends off treatment and this would happen for four weeks. This method is called external beam radiotherapy which means that beams of radiation are directed at the affected part of your lung. The aim of this treatment would be cure.
Stereotactic radiotherapy – For very small tumours we can offer a special type of radiotherapy to non-small cell lung cancers called stereotactic radiotherapy (SABR) which can be offered instead of surgery. This is a more accurate type of external beam therapy where several high energy beams deliver a higher dose of radiation to your lung cancer, whilst avoiding your surrounding healthy lung at the same time. It is usually given over three - six treatments or fractions. This would be given every other day of the week but with no treatment at the weekend. The aim of this treatment is cure.
Palliative radiotherapy – This can also be used to help with any symptoms you have due to the lung cancer such as pain or coughing up blood. It can also be used to slow the progress of the cancer when a cure is not available. This is called palliative radiotherapy. When it is given for symptom control you will usually receive one or two fractions. If it is used to control the cancers progression you can receive up to 15 fractions..
For more information on Radiotherapy, visit the Macmillan Charity website.
We have created this video guide below to help you better understand the treatment process:
Risks to be aware of
As with any treatment, there are potential side effects to radiotherapy. These include:
Fatigue (feeling very tired)
Persistent cough that may bring up blood-stained phlegm (mucus)
Difficulty swallowing and sore gullet: this is mainly if your tumour is close to your oesophagus (food pipe)
Redness or soreness of the skin where the treatment is delivered. Can feel like sunburn
There are some side effects that may happen several months after treatment:
Radiation Pneumonitis. This is where the lungs produce an excessive inflammatory response in reaction to the radiotherapy. This may make you feel short of breath. It is treated with steroid medication.
Some people suffer no side effects or very little side effects, during and after treatment.
Further information
Your lung cancer nurse specialist team can answer any questions or concerns you have and help you to make any decisions you're unsure about. Please don't hesitate to contact them.
Accessible Information
If you need this information in another format or language and are in the hospital, please ask a member of staff. If you are accessing this leaflet online or on your phone you can see our Google Translate automated guidance on the Digital Patient Information Hub home screen.
People with hearing and speech difficulties
You can contact us using the Relay UK app. Textphone users will need to dial 18001 ahead of the number to be contacted.
Smoking
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a smoke-free organisation. You are not permitted to smoke or in use e-cigarettes in any of the hospital buildings or grounds.
Published by Lung Cancer Treatments, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Duckworth Lane, Bradford BD9 6RJ.
