Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer

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Radiation therapy is a treatment that uses high-energy rays, like X-rays, gamma rays or protons, to target and destroy cancer cells. It works by damaging the DNA of cancer cells, preventing them from growing and spreading. Radiation therapy can be tailored to focus precisely on a tumor, to lessen its impact on surrounding healthy tissue. Sometimes, though, it is not possible to avoid healthy tissue, since it is close the tumor.

Lung Cancer Care Tailored to You

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How Radiation Therapy is Used to Treat Lung Cancer

Radiation therapy plays a key role in treating or relieving the symptoms of lung cancer. It can shrink lung tumors before surgery, making them easier to remove. It can also be used after lung cancer surgery to kill any cancer cells that might remain in the body. If you have advanced lung cancer, your Fred Hutch Cancer Center physician may recommend radiation therapy to help relieve certain symptoms you may have.

Many people with lung cancer have radiation therapy alone or with other treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy or immunotherapy. It is painless, noninvasive and each treatment lasts only minutes.

Types of Radiation

Different types of radiation treatments are used for different situations. A few examples of the types used for lung cancer are:

Intensity-modulated image-guided radiotherapy (IMRT/IGRT)

In this form of radiation treatment, physicians use computed tomography (CT) to scan your tumor and create beams of radiation that closely conform to the tumor’s shape. The beams vary in shape and intensity to deliver a higher dose of radiation to the tumor and lower doses to nearby healthy tissue. 

Learn more about IMRT/IGRT and other forms of External-Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT).

Radiosurgery

Radiosurgery: Radiosurgery is an advanced form of highly focused, high-dose radiation therapy that can kill tumors in fewer treatments than conventional radiation treatment — typically one to five sessions rather than daily sessions for several weeks. It has a greater than 95% chance of killing small lung tumors. There are other names for this type of treatment, including:

  • Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT)
  • Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) 
  • CyberKnife (a brand name)

Proton Therapy

Proton therapy is an advanced therapy and an important alternative to conventional radiation for many types of cancer (and some noncancerous tumors). Protons themselves are positively charged particles found in the center of atoms. They’re used because they can deliver high-energy radiation directly to cancer cells with pinpoint accuracy. Lung cancer is frequently located close to important parts of the body, like the heart and major blood vessels. The advantage of using protons to treat lung cancer is that the proton beams can target high doses of radiation precisely at the tumor while minimizing radiation to the surrounding healthy tissues. This also means there are usually fewer side effects than with other lung cancer treatments.

Learn more about proton therapy for lung cancer.

Why Choose Fred Hutch for Lung Cancer Radiation Therapy

Fred Hutch patients get radiation therapy from leading radiation oncologists who specialize in specific cancers. Your Fred Hutch radiation oncologist knows the most advanced options for treating your disease and will design a personalized treatment plan to target your tumor. We offer a full range of radiation therapy, including access to the latest and most innovative options through our clinical trials.

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John Kang
Dr. John Kang, a lung cancer specialist in radiation therapy

Precision Radiation Oncology

Precision oncology has traditionally included targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Now there are more options with radiation oncology. “In the past, we treated cancer with the maximum dose we could safely deliver,” said Ramesh Rengan, MD, PhD, senior vice president and director of the Fred Hutch Radiation Oncology Division. “The new frontier of cancer care is precision medicine — which now includes radiation oncology. Using this approach, we can deliver the right treatment to destroy cancer while minimizing harm to the patient.” 

Read more about precision radiation oncology.

Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer FAQ

Your first appointment prior to radiation therapy will include an evaluation and discussion with your care team. Your next visit is usually for simulation. This is when scans and measurements are taken to help plan your treatments. Next, our lung cancer experts will work together to plan your treatment, using the measurements and images from your simulation. After your physician has approved your radiation treatment plan, you may need to return to the radiation oncology department for a verification simulation. 

Read more about radiation therapy at Fred Hutch.

Radiation therapy for lung cancer is usually delivered externally using a machine called a linear accelerator. When you receive treatment, you will be asked to lie still on a table while the machine moves around you, allowing the machine to precisely target your tumor from different angles. Each session typically lasts 10-30 minutes and is painless.

You physician may recommend radiation in these instances:

  • If you cannot have surgery
  • To shrink a tumor before surgery
  • After surgery, to kill remaining cancer cells
  • To relieve symptoms you may have, such as pain or difficulty breathing

Possible side effects of radiation therapy for lung cancer include tiredness, skin changes (like redness or irritation) and problems swallowing. You might experience shortness of breath or coughing as a temporary response to radiation therapy, too. Your Fred Hutch care team will work with you to help manage any side effects and help you stay as comfortable as possible during your radiation therapy.

Preparing for radiation therapy involves discussing the treatment with your care team and asking any questions you may have. This helps keep you better informed and allows your physician to better understand not only your current state of health, but address any concerns you may have.

Although you can’t always prevent side effects, you can take steps in advance to help minimize their effects. For instance, tiredness is common, and thinking ahead to ways you can adjust your schedule to allow for more rest can help. Skin care is also important — your physician may be able to prescribe special creams to soothe irritation. During radiation therapy, staying hydrated and good nutrition will be important, too.

The success rate of radiation therapy depends on the type and stage of lung cancer. For early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), treatments like SBRT have high success rates. As the stage of lung cancer increases, radiation therapy remains effective, but the chance for a recurrence increases.