The founder and lead surgeon of Lewisville Flower Mound Oncology talks about the possible benefits.

Lewisville, TX – Lung cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed forms of this disease in the United States. With an estimated 221,000 new cases each year and roughly 158,000 deaths, it’s also known to be an aggressive killer. Researchers are finding, however, a change in treatment protocol may help improve the prognosis for some.

“Studies are showing that when radiation follows surgery, the outlook for patients may improve greatly,” says Dr. Gregory Echt, founder and lead surgeon at Lewisville Flower Mound Oncology. “One of the most recent studies focused on patients with incompletely resected non-small cell lung cancer. Each had surgery and some also had chemotherapy. At the three-year mark, those who were also treated with radiation had a much higher progression-free survival rate.”

Radiation isn’t always used in these cases because of the additional stress an extra treatment may place on a patient. The improved survival rate, however, is significant enough that researchers suggest this treatment addition may be in order. The overall survival rate of 34.1 percent for those who underwent radiation after surgery offers a strong glimmer of hope for those diagnosed with this disease, as does the local progression-free survival rate of 44.9 percent.

“More study needs to be performed before this recommendation might be made on a large-scale basis, but the initial study findings are very encouraging,” Dr. Echt says.

People who are diagnosed with lung cancer should carefully review all treatment options with their healthcare providers. Whether radiation will be recommended as a treatment will depend on the unique case at hand. This treatment, known to be highly effective at killing cancer cells, also brings with it a number of potential side effects that make careful weighing of the pros and cons a must.

About Lewisville/Flower Mound Oncology Group

The Lewisville/Flower Mound Oncology Group has state-of-the-art facilities that offer individualized care to patients throughout North Texas. With a team of expert oncologists and other specialists on staff, the Lewisville/Flower Mound Oncology Group treats a variety of cancers and blood disorders with an eye towards the newest advancements available in diagnostic technology and treatments.