The Baylor St. Luke's Medical Center Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center brings together experts in cardiothoracic surgery, medical oncology and radiation oncology to create personalized treatment plans for patients with lung cancer. Our team of surgeons, physicians and staff care for our patients with a multidisciplinary approach that results in superior outcomes and patient satisfaction with cutting-edge treatment approaches offered nowhere else in Texas. If you have questions or want to make an appointment, call (832) 957-6500.
What is Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer starts when abnormal cells grow out of control in the lung. They can invade nearby tissues and form tumors. Lung cancer can start anywhere in the lungs and affect any part of the respiratory system.
Most lung cancers are divided into small cell lung cancers (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). Small cell lung cancers usually grow more quickly and are more likely to spread than non-small cell lung cancers.
What Causes Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer is often caused by cigarette smoking. Tobacco smoke contains carcinogens. These are substances that cause cancer. They damage lung cells, and over time the damaged cells can turn into lung cancer.
Sometimes lung cancer develops in people who have never smoked. A few people get lung cancer after being exposed to other harmful substances, including asbestos, radioactive dust, radon, or radiation such as X-rays. Cancer also may be caused by gene changes (mutations) that occur as you get older.
How is Lung Cancer Treated?
Treatment for lung cancer includes the following:
- Surgery: This may involve removing the cancer, the affected lobe of lung, or the entire lung.
- Radiation: Radiation is often used together with surgery or chemotherapy or both.
- Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy can help control the growth and spread of the cancer. But it is a cure in only a small number of people.
- Laser therapy: Laser therapy uses a highly focused beam of light to kill cancer cells.
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Identification of lung cancer subtypes can lead to personalized therapies with better outcomes
Dr. Chad Creighton discusses how identifying subsets of lung cancer can potentially lead to more effective treatment.
Clinical Trials
The Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center's continued commitment to research helps improve present and future cancer care. Learn about our current cancer-related clinical trials.
