Introduction

If you're diagnosed with lung cancer, you'll need to make some important decisions about your treatment.

We've brought together the best research about lung cancer and weighed up the evidence about how to treat it. You can use our information to talk to your doctor and decide which treatments are best for you.

It can be devastating to find out that you or someone close to you has lung cancer. It's a serious illness. It means some of the cells in your lungs have started to grow out of control, invading and destroying other cells. In the weeks and months to follow, you will probably have many different emotions, including anxiety about what lies ahead.

Almost before you have had time to take in what the doctors have told you, you will be offered a range of tests and treatments that aim to get rid of your cancer or relieve your symptoms, or both. The treatments you're offered will depend on the type of lung cancer you have, how large it is, and whether it has spread. A lot will also depend on how you feel about your illness and how you would like it to be treated.

We hope our information will answer your questions about lung cancer. It may also help you talk to your doctor about the best treatments for you.

Some people want to know more about their cancer than others. Some will choose to have treatments that may help them live longer but which could have unpleasant, sometimes harmful, side effects. Other people prefer to enjoy as much of life as they can.^[1]

There's no right or wrong way for you to deal with your cancer. The most important thing is for you to feel comfortable with the decisions you make. It's also essential that your medical team and those who care about you listen to what you say and respect your wishes.

Key points for people with lung cancer

• Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer in men and the third most common in women (not counting skin cancer). It's the leading cause of death from cancer in the UK.

• By the time most people are diagnosed, their lung cancer has spread outside their lungs.

• You will be offered a range of treatments that aim to get rid of the cancer and improve your symptoms.

• Most treatments have side effects. You need to weigh these against the benefits.

• Cigarette smoking is the most common cause of lung cancer. The best way to prevent lung cancer is not to smoke.

Your lungs and what they do

You have two lungs. They sit in your chest, inside your rib cage, one on each side of your heart. They are covered by a layer of moist tissue called the pleura.