A lung cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming. You may have many questions about what it means or what happens next. Remember that every person's lung cancer experience is unique. There is no "right" way to feel after receiving a diagnosis. Whatever emotions you're experiencing are valid. You don't have to face this alone. Your healthcare team, family, friends, and GO2 are all here to support you.
The key to finding lung cancer early is routine doctor visits, and yearly lung cancer screenings are recommended for those at high risk for lung cancer. Screenings can find lung cancer before symptoms occur, in its earliest stages when it’s most treatable and even curable.
A low-dose CT (LDCT) scan is used for lung cancer screening. The procedure itself is painless and takes less than 1 minute. It’s currently the only proven method of finding lung cancer early.
If your lung cancer screening results show there is an area of concern or you have symptoms of lung cancer, your healthcare team will order more tests to get a detailed view of your body and determine whether cancer is present. If cancer is found, they may order more tests to identify the exact type and stage of cancer.
When lung cancer is suspected, your healthcare team will perform a series of tests that can include scans and a biopsy to take a closer look at the area of concern and determine whether cancer is present.
Scans
There are several types of scans that provide more detailed pictures of the lungs and other parts of the body. These scans show the exact location of cancer and how far it may have spread. This information is used to determine the stage of lung cancer and helps guide treatment options. You may receive 1 or more of the following scans:
CT (computed tomography) scans use special X-rays to create detailed pictures of your lungs and can find very small tumors.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) uses magnets and radio waves to create clear images and they can show more detail than CT scans for some parts of the body.
PET (positron emission tomography) scans help show how active cancer cells are in your body.
Biopsies
A biopsy is a procedure that removes a small tissue or fluid sample that is examined under a microscope to determine whether cancer is present. Depending on the exact location of the area that needs to be biopsied, the procedure may be done by:
Using a needle to remove fluid, blood, or cells from a tumor.
Inserting a tube into the lung to see the area and remove tissue samples.
Performing surgery to open the chest and remove tissue samples.
After a biopsy, a pathologist will study your liquid or tissue samples and provide the results in a detailed report called a pathology report. The information in your pathology report will be unique to you but will likely include these sections:
Who performed the biopsy and the method that was used
Whether cancer was found and the type of cancer
How the sample looked through a microscope
Results of other tests, such as biomarker testing
Summary of the findings
Pathology reports can be hard to understand. If you have questions about your biopsy and/or pathology report, ask a member of your healthcare team, call our free HelpLine at 1-800-298-2436, or email us at support@go2.org.
One of the most important things we can learn from your pathology report and scans is the stage of lung cancer. The stage is determined by the size of the primary tumor (the first tumor) and where cancer may have spread, including lymph nodes or other organs.
When cancer is staged, it is usually given a number, or a number and a letter, that indicates if it has spread and how far. In this type of staging, a higher number means the cancer is more advanced, and the letter provides more detail within each stage. The most common staging system uses a number (1, 2, 3, 4 or I, II, II, IV) or a number with a letter (1A, 1B, IA, IIB, etc.) to describe the stage. Your stage guides your healthcare team toward the best treatment for you.
Learn more about biopsy and pathology through our booklet “Understanding Lung Biopsies and Pathology Results.”
Your healthcare team will include people who have skills in a certain area of cancer care. Having specialists working with you is very important because they bring great knowledge about their area of care.
Each member of your healthcare team should know what the other team members are doing. For this reason, your primary care doctor will remain a part of your care and manage non-cancer-related illnesses and check-ups. They should always be informed of your health status.
Here are some of the healthcare team members that may work with you. Some may have different titles than the ones listed and some may perform a few of the jobs across titles. It’s a good idea to write down the names of your healthcare team members, what they do, and how you can reach them. Keeping this information handy is always helpful.
You may have 1 or more of these specialty doctors on your team:
Medical oncologist who uses medicine (such as chemotherapy) to treat cancer
Pathologist who studies tissue from a biopsy to diagnose diseases
Pulmonologist who specializes in lung problems
Radiation oncologist who uses radiation (high-energy beams) to treat cancer
Radiologist who uses X-rays, CT, MRI, and PET scans for cancer diagnosis and treatment
Thoracic surgeon who specializes in surgery of the chest
You may have 1 or more of the following speciality nurses involved in your care:
Chemotherapy nurse who specializes in providing chemotherapy and can help with managing side effects
Nurse navigator who offers education, support, and coordination of services from diagnosis through treatment
Research nurse who provides care during a clinical trial
You may have 1 or more of the following specialty professionals involved in your care:
Registered dietitian who helps determine diet needs to maintain health
Occupational therapist who helps people increase independence in daily tasks
Physical therapist who helps the body move and recover after injury or disease
Social worker who provides counseling and helps people find resources to meet their needs
Speech therapist who helps people improve speech and swallowing skills.
Your healthcare team will provide treatment guidance based on the type and stage of lung cancer, and any biomarker testing results. They'll discuss the benefits and risks of different treatment options and help you understand what to expect from each approach.
As you think through your treatment choices, it's important to include your personal values and priorities–there's no right or wrong approach. Be open with your healthcare team about what's important to you so they can help you make decisions that support your goals.
Being actively involved in your treatment decisions can lead to better outcomes and greater satisfaction with your care. This means asking questions, talking about your concerns, and sharing your thoughts about the proposed treatment plan.
To help guide you through complex conversations and decision-making with your healthcare team, contact our HelpLine at 1-800-298-2436 or email support@go2.org
Practical tips for managing a lung cancer diagnosis
Having practical advice and guidance from others who have been there can bring comfort and greatly reduce stress after a lung cancer diagnosis.
GO2 for Lung Cancer was the first organization dedicated to transforming lung cancer survival. For almost 3 decades, we’ve grown from grassroots into a national and global movement committed to:
Getting organized can help you feel more in control of your care and reduce stress.
- Keep a calendar of appointments.
- Create a filing system for medical records.
- Track symptoms and side effects on a chart.
- Keep a list of your medications.
- Organize insurance documents in a notebook.
- Keep receipts for medical expenses in an envelope or file.
Learning about lung cancer enables you to have informed discussions with your healthcare team about your care and treatment options.
- Order or download our free educational materials.
- View current and past Lung Cancer Living Room® events featuring expert speakers.
- Read lung cancer survivor stories on our blog.
Exploring support options, including one-on-one support, in-person or online support groups, online forums, and coping management programs.
- Ask questions and talk one-on-one with our HelpLine team at 1-800-298-2436 or support@go2.org.
- Connect with a Phone Buddy—someone who also has a lung cancer diagnosis—who offers support, guidance, and a listening ear.
- Learn tips and tools to cope with a lung cancer diagnosis by enrolling in a 5-week Mind Over Matter class.
- Connect with others and find hope, friendship, and support through our casual virtual group, Gathering HOPE.
- Ask questions and connect with others instantly through our lung cancer forums on HealthUnlocked.
Accepting support from friends and loved ones can make a big difference.
Consider accepting offers of:
- Meals: Having meals that can be frozen and eaten later is helpful. Arranging for meal delivery services can also be helpful.
- Childcare: If you have children, have them attend play dates on days you have treatment or when you want a break.
- Transportation: Schedule someone to drive you to treatment to conserve your energy.
- Light housekeeping: Ask for help with cleaning to conserve your energy.
- Lodging: If you need to travel for treatment or other appointments, ask the staff at your treatment facility about places to stay that are reserved for patients and families.
- Activities: Arrange for visits with friends, watch a movie, play cards and games, engage in a hobby, listen to music, or do something else that makes you happy.
Managing your daily tasks to save energy is important. Here are some suggestions:
- Divide the day into times of rest and times of activity.
- Make a flexible plan for your day or week, and adjust plans based on your energy.
- Do the tasks that take the most energy when you have the most energy.
- Listen to your body, and rest before you become too tired.
- Sit down during tasks instead of standing.
Get help today
If you or a loved one would like help with managing a lung cancer diagnosis, contact our HelpLine.
Seeking a second opinion
Getting a second opinion simply means making an appointment with a different cancer specialist to hear what they would recommend as the best treatment plan for you.
Reasons to think about getting a second opinion include:
- To fully understand all your treatment options
- To explore your clinical trial options
- To increase confidence in your treatment plan and healthcare team
- To get an opinion from a lung cancer specialist team
- To learn different approaches to managing side effects, including palliative care
- When you have concerns about the care you’re receiving
A second opinion allows you to feel confident you’re on the right treatment path if both doctors agree; if the 2 opinions are different, it gives you more treatment options.
Emerging trends in lung cancer diagnosis
Advancements in lung cancer diagnosis are helping doctors to better detect and treat disease, with a strong emphasis on precision medicine.
Liquid biopsy, a simple blood test that detects tumor DNA, is emerging as a powerful tool. This test can identify key genetic mutations (changes) in both small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Unlike traditional biopsies that require a tissue sample, liquid biopsies are less invasive and can help to guide treatment choices, monitor if the cancer continues to grow, and can detect changes that may tell us if a treatment is no longer working. Researchers are also working on using liquid biopsy to detect minimal residual disease (MRD), tiny amounts of cancer that remain after treatment, to help guide a person’s follow-up care.
Advances in genetic and biomarker testing also continue to refine our understanding of both NSCLC and SCLC subtypes. This helps doctors to find new treatment targets and match people with their most effective, personalized treatment options to improve long-term outcomes.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are also playing a key role in making lung cancer diagnosis faster and more accurate. New AI-powered tools are being created to help improve the reading of low-dose CT (LDCT) scans, helping radiologists to detect lung cancer earlier and more accurately. AI is also being used to help scientists analyze large amounts of complex genetic data, speeding up the discovery of new genetic drivers and subtypes of lung cancer faster, while also predicting how a person’s cancer may respond to treatment.
Using advanced imaging techniques such as radiomics (a method that analyzes medical images in greater detail) and PET/MRI scans to detect cancer earlier and with more precision
Analyzing a person’s breath for specific markers that might indicate lung cancer
Using multi-omics research, which combines genetic, protein, and metabolic data to generate a better understanding lung cancer
Single-cell sequencing, which examines small differences between individual cancer cells that may help guide treatment
These advancements hold great promise for improving outcomes by ensuring that people receive timely, precise, and effective treatment tailored to their unique needs to improve survival and long-term outcomes.
Lung cancer treatment and side effects
Lung cancer is a complex disease and so is its treatment. In recent years, treatment for lung cancer has become much more personalized. The more information your healthcare team has about your specific diagnosis, the more they can develop a treatment plan specifically for you.
Your healthcare team should discuss your treatment options with you. Lung cancer treatment is based on the type and stage of cancer and can include one or more of the following:
All cancer treatments have possible side effects, but what you may experience is unique to you based on the type of treatment you receive, how long your treatment lasts, and how your body responds to it. You may not have any side effects, or you may only have a few.
It is always important to talk to your healthcare team about ways to manage side effects before or as soon as they develop. Side effects can often be prevented, treated, or eased with help from your healthcare team or a palliative care team.
Advanced lung cancer
Having scans on a regular schedule is important because it allows your healthcare team to see how well your treatment is working. If your follow-up scan shows that the cancer has gotten smaller or is gone, this assures you and your healthcare team that your treatment is working well. If your scan shows the cancer has grown larger or has spread to other areas, this means it’s time to change to a different cancer treatment.
When lung cancer spreads to other parts of the body outside of the lungs, it’s called metastasis or mets. It may also be called advanced lung cancer. Lung cancer spreads by growing into nearby tissues or by traveling through blood vessels or the lymph system to distant parts of the body.
When lung cancer spreads to another part of the body it is still lung cancer. For example, lung cancer that has spread to the bones is not bone cancer. It is lung cancer cells that have spread to the bones
Liquid biopsy
The lymph system has groups of small pea-sized lymph nodes that clean the waste out of the fluid that passes through them. A large group of lymph nodes in the chest drains fluid from the lungs. Cancer cells can break off from a tumor and travel to other parts of your body through the blood or lymph system. Sometimes cancer cells can become trapped in the lymph nodes and start to grow there. Common symptoms may include swollen and/or painful lymph nodes.
Bone mets
Lung cancer that spreads to the bones most often goes to the backbone, pelvis, upper arms, upper legs, hands, and feet. People with bone mets often complain of dull pain that gets worse over time and may feel worse at night or with movement. You may feel weak or thirsty or have muscle aches. Your healthcare team may suggest you take a drug that hardens and protects your bones.
Mets to the skull are bone mets and not the same as when cancer spreads to the brain.
Adrenal gland mets
The adrenal glands are small glands shaped like triangles that sit on top of your kidneys. Your adrenal glands make hormones that manage your blood pressure, metabolism, immune system, and stress hormones.
When lung cancer spreads to the adrenal glands, it rarely causes symptoms, but, if symptoms are present, they may include:
• Back pain
• Pain in the stomach
• Changes in adrenal function, such as low blood pressure, low blood sugar, low sodium, or high potassium
Liver mets
The liver filters the blood in your body and makes a fluid called bile that helps to digest fat and waste. Your liver also helps balance blood sugar and make nutrients needed for good health.
There are often no symptoms of liver mets. If symptoms are present, they may include:
• Pain under the right side of your ribs or stomach
• Upset stomach
• Lack of appetite
• Weight loss
• Swollen stomach
• Yellowing skin
Brain mets
Your brain is a very complex organ that allows you to think, talk, move, feel, and remember. The brain is divided into lobes, and each lobe has its own job. If lung cancer spreads to the brain, it can affect how that part of the brain works. Some symptoms caused by brain mets can be general such as a headache, memory problems, or feeling very tired. Others can be very specific and are caused by pressure or irritation to a certain part of the brain.
Examples of common symptoms of brain mets can include:
• Speech problems (such as finding words)
• Muscle weakness
• Eye problems or trouble reading
• Pain, numbness, or paralysis (loss of the ability to move in a part of the body)
• Seizures
• Problems with body movements
• Nausea and/or vomiting
• Fatigue (a feeling of being tired that doesn’t go away with enough rest or sleep)
• Memory problems
• Headaches
Treatment decisions for brain mets are based on several factors and are very specialized. To learn more, see our booklets on brain metastasis for NSCLC and SCLC.
Cachexia
Cachexia is a medical term used to describe ongoing weight loss, muscle wasting, loss of appetite, and extreme fatigue (tiredness) that sometimes happens in people with late-stage cancer. It is caused by the body’s response to substances that cancer cells release at this point. This means it can’t be reversed by simply eating more food. Losing weight and having trouble eating is not your fault. There are some medicines that can increase your appetite or treat other symptoms related to cachexia that can help you feel better and feel more like eating. Ask your healthcare team about these options.
Keeping a healthy weight is important to be able to manage cancer treatment well, maintain your energy, and to be able to enjoy activities that matter to you. For this reason, your healthcare team will watch your weight closely and look for signs of cachexia, so it can be managed early.
Cachexia is being studied in clinical trials to better understand how it happens and to develop more treatments. Ask your healthcare team if a clinical trial is right for you.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find more resources and support?
Contact the GO2 HelpLine at 1-800-298-2436 or email support@go2.org to connect with caring and highly trained staff who listen, answer your questions, and provide support. We offer many free programs and educational resources to meet your needs.
How long does it take to get the results of a biopsy?
If your biopsy is done during surgery and a tumor is removed, the biopsy results could be known right away. In other cases, results can take anywhere from a few days to more than a week.
What do positive and negative biopsy results mean?
A positive biopsy means cancer was found, while a negative one means no cancer was found.
Should I have a pathology second opinion?
Your treatment options will be based on the type of lung cancer you have so it is important to have as much information as possible. You may want to think about getting a second opinion if:
• The biopsy result is inconclusive (can’t be sure if there is cancer or not)
• Cancer is confirmed, but where it started in the body is not known
• The type or subtype of cancer is not known
How do I know if I need biomarker testing?
If you have a diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), comprehensive biomarker testing is the best way for your healthcare team to understand how best to treat you. If you have a diagnosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), you may have biomarker testing based on your specific needs. Learn more about biomarker testing.