Dr told the role of advanced diagnostics in early detection of lung cancer.

Lung cancer is still one of the most challenging cancers to treat, with the highest incidence and highest mortality rate worldwide. According to the Global Cancer Observatory, Asia, the continent has the highest number of lung cancer cases worldwide.

Dr. Shaikhali M Barodawala, MD, Consultant Surgical Pathologist, AVP & Head Integrated Oncopathology, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd.Despite recent advances in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment, including the discovery of mutations that trigger the carcinogenic process and targeted therapies, early detection of the disease remains a significant risk for patients, according to Mumbai. It is very important from the point of view of health benefits.

Lung cancer diagnosis and treatment
Lung cancer diagnosis Very basic imaging techniques such as chest X-ray and sputum examination are performed. Although these can detect lung cancer, the disease is often detected only when it reaches an advanced stage and then treatment options are very limited. Treatments such as chemotherapy help save patients, but they have significant side effects and are often of limited efficacy, especially in the case of metastatic disease. NGS uses polymerase chain reactions (PCR) to detect cancer-related mutations by analyzing multiple gene regions simultaneously. With the availability of this test, oncologists can now customize treatment keeping in mind the tumor-related genetic profile of patients, which proves to be better for the patients.

targeted therapy
An important achievement in the treatment of lung cancer has been achieved in the form of targeted therapy. Identifying mutations, such as EGFR, ALK, ROS1, and BRAF, allows oncologists to select therapies that block the activity of these mutated genes. For example, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have shown great success in treating patients with EGFR-positive NSCLC, resulting in tumor shrinkage that helps prolong patients’ lives.

It specifically attacks cancer cells and causes minimal damage to healthy cells, meaning it has fewer side effects than traditional treatments like chemotherapy. Since this option became available Lung Cancer Management Revolutionary changes have taken place in India and improvement in quality of life and survival rate has been seen.

immunotherapy
Immunotherapy has also emerged as a powerful treatment option for the treatment of lung cancer. It strengthens the body’s immune response against cancer cells. Immune checkpoint inhibitors block proteins that prevent immune cells from attacking cancer, making the immune system more powerful in destroying tumor cells. This strategy has led to significant changes in the treatment of lung cancer and has proven particularly beneficial for patients who do not have mutations amenable to targeted therapy.

Importance of early detection of disease
Of course, after the availability of advanced therapy, the conditions for lung cancer patients have improved significantly, but even today early detection of the disease helps in increasing the survival rate. Lung cancer is usually detected at a very advanced stage, and treatment options are limited. Therefore, when lung cancer is detected early, when the disease has not spread to other parts of the body, the chance of successful treatment is greatest, and this can often be done with surgery.

Other therapies and technologies
The future of lung cancer treatment holds great promise, and research into a variety of new therapies and diagnostic tools is currently ongoing. In addition to targeted therapy and immunotherapy, several new options such as bispecific antibodies, CAR T-cell therapy, and molecular targeted radiotherapy are also in the works. Such innovative treatments will also provide solutions for patients who do not respond to current therapies, and will prove to be a powerful and effective weapon in the fight against lung cancer.