03-20-2008, 09:35 PM
cancer stages are not done by time. the staging is done according to the size of the tumor and if the disease has spread. it also depends on the type of cancer it is- non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
the early stage lung cancer is going to be a small tumor that has not extended beyond the lung(to surrounding areas like the ribs, esophagus etc.) and with no lymph node involvement or metastasis.
Lymph node involvement means that the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes-which is the bodies drainage system. from there the cancer cells can spread to pretty much anywhere in the body but for lung cancer the most common places are liver, brain, bone. when the cancer spreads to a different area of the body that is called metastasis.
right now, it is believed that a combo of chemotherapy and radiation therapy(radiotherapy) is the best treatment option. but it really depends on the individual case. some people cannot tolerate one or the other of these treatments because of other conditions that they may have.
(i am a radiation therapist and treat people with all kinds of cancer. every ones case is different-this info is just the basics) good-luck to you
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