Can lung cancer be cured if completely removed?
Sep 20, 2024
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Qi Zhirong
Introduction
To prevent lung cancer, one should maintain a healthy lifestyle, avoid smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke, reduce exposure to air pollution, and undergo regular health check-ups and screenings. Whether lung cancer can be cured after complete resection depends on the stage of the cancer. If the patient is in the early stage, complete removal often leads to a cure; however, if the cancer is at an intermediate or advanced stage, a complete cure may not be achievable.
In general, whether lung cancer can be cured after complete removal depends on the stage of the cancer. If the patient is in the early stage, complete surgical resection often leads to a cure; however, if the patient is in the middle or late stages, achieving a complete cure may not be possible. If any discomfort occurs, prompt medical consultation is recommended. The detailed analysis is as follows:
In the early stage of lung cancer, the number of cancer cells is relatively small, and the tumor is usually confined within the lung tissue, without extensive invasion into surrounding normal tissues or distant metastasis. At this point, surgically removing the tumor along with potentially affected surrounding tissues can thoroughly eliminate cancer cells from the body. Therefore, the treatment outcome after surgery is generally favorable, and patients have a high chance of long-term survival or even complete cure.
As lung cancer progresses to the middle or late stages, the number of cancer cells continues to increase, and the tumor has already invaded important surrounding organs and tissues—such as the pleura, pericardium, and blood vessels—or has spread to distant sites, such as bones or the brain. In these cases, even if the primary tumor in the lung is surgically removed, it is impossible to completely eliminate all cancer cells in the body. Thus, for patients with mid- or late-stage lung cancer, surgical treatment alone rarely results in a complete cure.
To prevent lung cancer, individuals should maintain a healthy lifestyle, avoid smoking and exposure to secondhand smoke, minimize exposure to air pollution, and undergo regular health check-ups and screening.
