Overview of Radiation Therapy for Stage 3 Lung Cancer
SHARE

Fact Checked

SurvivorNet Fact Checking and Medical Review Standards:  

The SurvivorNet News Team creates high quality medical information that complies with our industry leading standards for factual accuracy and sourcing from leading experts at academic medical institutions. Every news article is thoroughly fact-checked by our physician collaborators. We vet each piece of work for factual integrity, impartiality, and clearly label any professional conflicts.

All SurvivorNet articles adhere to the following standards:

  1. All studies and research papers cited are from reputable academic medical institutions or peer-reviewed journals.
  2. When we use data, statistics, or quotes these references link to the original source.
  3. All content related to new treatments, drugs, procedures, and so on must clearly describe availability, side effects, treatment target (such as triple negative breast cancer)
  4. All medical information on SurvivorNet is sourced from respected medical professionals with verified medical credentials and links are provided to these sources.
  5. We strive to give the reader relevant background information and include, clearly-sourced contextual health information in all articles. Readers are clearly alerted to any conflicts of interest from a medical source or the authors of a cited study.
/ Updated June 25th, 2018

Overview of Radiation Therapy for Stage 3 Lung Cancer

×

Medical Source:

Dr. Billy Loo
Stanford Medicine

Patients diagnosed with stage three lung cancer have tumors that are not only in the lungs but have also spread to nearby lymph nodes. Depending on how advanced this spread is and the patient’s health, doctors will choose some combination of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or possibly surgery.

“There’s the opportunity with aggressive therapy to try to cure the cancer,” says Dr. Billy Loo, Jr., a radiation oncologist and bioengineer who leads the Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program at Stanford.

Bone , PET, CT and MRI scans help doctors get an idea of how much the cancer has spread, and then make treatment decisions. If radiation is the treatment of choice, high energy beams are aimed at the cancer. This basically damages the DNA inside cancer cells, preventing them from growing or creating more cancerous tissue.


Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Dr. Billy Loo is a physician-scientist, radiation oncologist and bioengineer who leads the Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program at Stanford. He is also an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology. Read More

Medical Source:

Dr. Billy Loo
Stanford Medicine

Patients diagnosed with stage three lung cancer have tumors that are not only in the lungs but have also spread to nearby lymph nodes. Depending on how advanced this spread is and the patient’s health, doctors will choose some combination of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or possibly surgery.

“There’s the opportunity with aggressive therapy to try to cure the cancer,” says Dr. Billy Loo, Jr., a radiation oncologist and bioengineer who leads the Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program at Stanford.

Read More
Bone , PET, CT and MRI scans help doctors get an idea of how much the cancer has spread, and then make treatment decisions. If radiation is the treatment of choice, high energy beams are aimed at the cancer. This basically damages the DNA inside cancer cells, preventing them from growing or creating more cancerous tissue.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.

Dr. Billy Loo is a physician-scientist, radiation oncologist and bioengineer who leads the Thoracic Radiation Oncology Program at Stanford. He is also an Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology. Read More

Lung Cancer Radiation

There are certain radiation options available for treating lung cancer. We asked top doctors to explain those options and when each is used.

NOW
PLAYING
Radiation Boom--The Increasingly Popular Choice For Later Stage Cancer
NOW
PLAYING
Radiation for Advanced Lung Cancer
NOW
PLAYING
There Is No "Best Type" of Radiation for Lung Cancer: Understanding Your Choices
NOW
PLAYING
Stereotactic Radiotherapy Can Be a Great Option for Early-Stage Lung Cancer

Treatment: Early Stages

SEE MORE   
Treatment

Lung Cancer in Smokers vs. Non-Smokers

Dr. Ronald Natale
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Treatment

Treating Stage One Lung Cancer

Dr. Joseph Friedberg
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Treatment

In Certain Types of Lung Cancer, Targeted Drug Tagrisso Slashed Recurrence Rates, New Study Says

Sonya Collins
Treatment

Treating Stage 2 Lung Cancer

Dr. Geoffrey Oxnard
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Treatment: Early Stages

Treatment: Lung Cancer & COVID-19

SEE MORE   

From the Coronavirus Epicenter: My Patients Are Doing Remarkably, Says Leading Lung Cancer Surgeon

Dr. Brendon Stiles
Montefiore and Albert Einstein College of Medicine

What Do People With Lung Cancer Need to Know About COVID-19?

Dr. Karen Reckamp
Cedars-Sinai

Treatment: Lung Cancer & COVID-19

Treatment: Stage Three

SEE MORE   
Treatment

Treating Stage 3A Lung Cancer: The Gray Zone

Dr. Joseph Friedberg
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Treatment

Overview of Radiation Therapy for Stage 3 Lung Cancer

Dr. Billy Loo
Stanford Medicine
Treatment

Treatment for Stage 3A and 3B Lung Cancer

Dr. Keith Cengel
University of Pennsylvania
Treatment

Treating Stage 3B Lung Cancer: When Does Surgery Play a Role?

Dr. Joseph Friedberg
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Treatment: Stage Three

Treatment: Surgery

SEE MORE   

There are several types of lung cancer surgery, and the decision about which is best is based largely on the location of your cancer, its size and whether it has started to spread.

Treatment

Surgical Options for Lung Cancer

Dr. Raja Flores
Mount Sinai Health System
Treatment

How to Choose a Surgeon – Does Volume Matter?

Dr. Jay Shah
Stanford Medicine

Dr. Raja Flores

Mount Sinai Health System
Treatment

What Questions Should I Ask When Choosing a Surgeon?

Dr. Raja Flores
Mount Sinai Health System
Treatment

What is VATS Surgery for Lung Cancer?

Dr. Raja Flores
Mount Sinai Health System
Treatment

Preparing for Lung Cancer Surgery

Dr. Joseph Friedberg
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Treatment

Quitting Smoking Can Help the Success of Your Lung Cancer Surgery

Dr. Joseph Friedberg
University of Maryland School of Medicine

Treatment: Surgery

There are several types of lung cancer surgery, and the decision about which is best is based largely on the location of your cancer, its size and whether it has started to spread.

Treatment: Radiation Therapy

SEE MORE   
Treatment

There Is No "Best Type" of Radiation for Lung Cancer: Understanding Your Choices

Dr. Keith Cengel
University of Pennsylvania
Treatment

Adjuvant Therapy for Stage Two Lung Cancer

Dr. Keith Cengel
University of Pennsylvania
Treatment

The Side Effects of Radiation Therapy for Lung Cancer

Melissa Jane Culligan
University of Maryland
Living

Managing Pain After Lung Cancer Surgery

Melissa Jane Culligan
University of Maryland
Treatment

Side Effects From Cancer Treatments: Dealing With Diarrhea

Melissa Jane Culligan
University of Maryland

Treatment: Radiation Therapy

Treatment: Proton Therapy

SEE MORE   
Treatment

Radiation Therapy: What’s the Difference Between X-Rays and Protons?

Dr. Keith Cengel
University of Pennsylvania
Treatment

The Benefits of Proton Therapy

Dr. Charles Simone
New York Proton Center
Treatment

Proton Therapy: When Is Expensive Cancer Treatment Really Worth It?

Dr. Keith Cengel
University of Pennsylvania

Treatment: Proton Therapy

Continue The Journey

Explore: Later Stage Treatment

Related Articles

A New Option for Some People With Lung Cancer: How This Immunotherapy/Chemotherapy Combo Can Increase Treatment Success

‘Country Ever After’ Star Criscilla Anderson, 41, Shows Down Days of Chemo for Stage 4 Colon Cancer: ‘I Hate This So Much, It’s Not Fair’

On This Day: Lawyer & Civil Activist Johnnie Cochran Died from Inoperable Brain Tumor; Brain Cancer Treatment Options

‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head’ Singer B.J. Thomas, 78, Diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer; New Advances in Treatment Can Offer Hope
Close

SN GUIDES

The First 60

Begin the breast cancer journey with confidence.

SIGN UP NOW

Thank you!

×

Introducing, the Journey Bar

Use this bar to access information about the steps in your cancer journey.