Pulmonary Function May Stay Stable after Lung Cancer Treatment
Pulmonary symptoms and function decline slightly after combined chemotherapy and chest radiotherapy for limited-stage small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and remain stable for five to 15 years, according to a report in the November issue of Chest.
“Patients with limited stage SCLC have potentially curable disease with only a small decrement in their lung function that remains stable over a long period of time,” Dr. Janet N. Myers from Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland told Reuters Health. “Physicians should not have a great deal of angst about treating these patients for fear of long term complications.”