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Lung Cancer Care at Stanford Health Care
As you and your family prepare for your first visit at Stanford, you’ll likely have many questions about your care journey here. This overview explains our diagnosis and treatment planning, to help you understand what to expect as you go through the early steps of your care.
Please consider us a trusted health partner before, during, and after your treatment. We offer extensive resources to assist you with every facet of your care – physical, emotional, spiritual, and social. We’re here to help you and your family each step of the way.
1Getting Started In Your Care
2Getting Your Diagnosis
3Planning Your Treatment
4Undergoing Treatment & Follow-Up
Select your type of treatment below.
This overview explains our diagnosis and treatment planning, to help you understand what to expect as you go through the early steps of your care.
Learn more about how lung cancer is diagnosed through imaging, biopsy, and the discoveries of pathology.
Learn more about what it is like to receive drug therapy for lung cancer.
Learn more about what it is like to receive radiation treatments for lung cancer.
Before
During
After
Diagnosing lung cancer
For everyone who comes to us, we start your care by establishing or confirming a diagnosis. Because lung cancer is a diverse group of diseases, an accurate diagnosis is critical for your treatment plan. It helps us recommend the most effective treatment options for you, in the right sequence.
At Stanford, we tailor the diagnostic phase of lung cancer care to each individual patient.
- You may have come to Stanford for lung care through a referral from your primary care doctor or other specialist. You may be here because your doctor found a nodule, or your screening CT scan showed some abnormal areas.
- If you have already received a diagnosis before coming to Stanford, your Stanford team will want to review these test.
Wherever you are in the process, your Stanford doctor and care team will work closely with you to determine which tests you need to complete your diagnosis.
Learn more about the diagnostic process »
Developing a treatment plan
Your care team combines cancer experts in several fields. Together, they will recommend treatment options based on your specific diagnosis. We work carefully to determine the best treatment options for you and to prepare a treatment plan personalized for your particular needs. We try to maximize treatment success while minimizing the impact that diagnosis and treatment can have on your life.
Learn more about treatment planning »
Different types of treatment for Lung cancer have different goals, such as:
- Slowing or stopping the growth of cancer
- Destroying cancer cells in the mouth and throat
- Destroying any cancer cells that may have spread (metastasized) outside the mouth and throat
- Delaying or preventing cancer from coming back (recurrence)
- Managing symptoms of incurable cancer
During Treatment
There are two primary approaches to lung cancer treatment. As we develop treatment recommendations for you, we consider whether the cancer is confined to your lung or has spread to other parts of your body. Depending on the details of your diagnosis, you may need just one category of treatment, or both:
- Local therapy targets the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue called a margin. Surgery and radiation therapy are local treatments.
- Drug therapy treats the entire body with cancer-fighting medications to destroy cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body. Medical oncology is systemic because you take medications in either intravenous (IV) or pill form that circulate throughout the body. If you have drug therapy in addition to surgery or radiation therapy, the treatments are called adjuvant therapy.
Learn more about lung cancer treatment options, including their uses and side effects »
Clinical trials: At Stanford, our doctors are always working to improve care for people with Lung cancer. As an academic medical center, we conduct clinical trials to evaluate new medications and other treatments for safety and effectiveness. Is a trial right for me?
We can treat lung cancer with several different methods, often combining them for the best chance at success. Our recommended plan will include the most appropriate treatment types for your unique case. It also will likely recommend that treatments be given in a specific order, to benefit you the most.
Approaches to lung cancer treatment include:
- Surgical oncology: Surgery removes tumors and is used during certain types of biopsies.
- Radiation oncology: High-energy radiation therapy, such as X-rays or gamma rays, shrinks tumors and destroys cancer cells.
- Medical oncology: Medications that shrink tumors and destroy cancer cells include chemotherapy and targeted therapy.
Follow-up care
After you complete your lung cancer treatment, your care team works with you to develop an ongoing care plan. Regular follow-up care, also known as surveillance, is important to:
- Monitor your overall health
- Manage any remaining side effects
- Check for possible signs of the cancer coming back (recurring)
Follow-Up Care: Managing Side Effects After Treatment »
Follow-Up Care: What to Expect After Treatment »
We work closely with your primary care doctor throughout your treatment, providing updates on a regular basis. We continue this partnership after you finish treatment, to coordinate your ongoing care for lung cancer and any other health concerns.
Support after treatment PathWell
PathWell is a support services hub for people living with cancer and their loved ones. Our team of doctors, nurses, social workers, spiritual care providers, nutrition experts, financial counselors, and others work with your cancer care team to support your quality of life.
We support you through the challenges of lung cancer and its treatment with counseling, classes, and supportive care to meet your financial, physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs.
Survivorship care
At Stanford, our support doesn’t end when you complete active treatment (treatment that directly fights cancer). Our Cancer Survivorship Program offers health care and other services to help lung cancer survivors transition to life after cancer and the activities you enjoy.
Our team of cancer professionals works with your lung cancer team to develop a personalized care plan for your post-treatment quality of life. We also communicate with your primary care doctor and any outside specialists you work with to update them on your treatment at Stanford. We can coordinate your care with them to help you stay healthy for the long term.
Our Cancer Survivorship team can start working with you and your family as soon as you receive your diagnosis. We encourage you to contact us then or at any time before your treatment ends so we can start building your plan.
Palliative care
Our palliative care specialists work closely with your care team to maintain your quality of life and achieve your personal goals after cancer treatment. Our palliative care providers work with your lung cancer care team and provide services including:
- Medical care to relieve cancer symptoms and treatment side effects
- Education about ongoing Lung cancer care
- Advance care planning to document your preferences for health care and end-of-life decisions
- Counseling to address issues such as:
- Anxiety and depression
- Body image
- Relationship management
- Return to work
Palliative care does not treat lung cancer. Rather, it helps you and your family cope with the disease in your daily life. You can receive palliative care:
- While you remain under your regular doctor’s care and are still receiving lung cancer treatments
- At any time, starting from diagnosis, throughout treatment, during follow-up, and at the end of life
Find out more about our palliative care and other supportive services for people with cancer in the PathWell »
Diagnosing lung cancer
For everyone who comes to us, we start your care by establishing or confirming a diagnosis. Because lung cancer is a diverse group of diseases, an accurate diagnosis is critical for your treatment plan. It helps us recommend the most effective treatment options for you, in the right sequence.
At Stanford, we tailor the diagnostic phase of lung cancer care to each individual patient.
- You may have come to Stanford for lung care through a referral from your primary care doctor or other specialist. You may be here because your doctor found a nodule, or your screening CT scan showed some abnormal areas.
- If you have already received a diagnosis before coming to Stanford, your Stanford team will want to review these test.
Wherever you are in the process, your Stanford doctor and care team will work closely with you to determine which tests you need to complete your diagnosis.
Learn more about the diagnostic process »
Developing a treatment plan
Your care team combines cancer experts in several fields. Together, they will recommend treatment options based on your specific diagnosis. We work carefully to determine the best treatment options for you and to prepare a treatment plan personalized for your particular needs. We try to maximize treatment success while minimizing the impact that diagnosis and treatment can have on your life.
Learn more about treatment planning »
Different types of treatment for Lung cancer have different goals, such as:
- Slowing or stopping the growth of cancer
- Destroying cancer cells in the mouth and throat
- Destroying any cancer cells that may have spread (metastasized) outside the mouth and throat
- Delaying or preventing cancer from coming back (recurrence)
- Managing symptoms of incurable cancer
close Before
During Treatment
There are two primary approaches to lung cancer treatment. As we develop treatment recommendations for you, we consider whether the cancer is confined to your lung or has spread to other parts of your body. Depending on the details of your diagnosis, you may need just one category of treatment, or both:
- Local therapy targets the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue called a margin. Surgery and radiation therapy are local treatments.
- Drug therapy treats the entire body with cancer-fighting medications to destroy cancer cells that have spread to other parts of the body. Medical oncology is systemic because you take medications in either intravenous (IV) or pill form that circulate throughout the body. If you have drug therapy in addition to surgery or radiation therapy, the treatments are called adjuvant therapy.
Learn more about lung cancer treatment options, including their uses and side effects »
Clinical trials: At Stanford, our doctors are always working to improve care for people with Lung cancer. As an academic medical center, we conduct clinical trials to evaluate new medications and other treatments for safety and effectiveness. Is a trial right for me?
We can treat lung cancer with several different methods, often combining them for the best chance at success. Our recommended plan will include the most appropriate treatment types for your unique case. It also will likely recommend that treatments be given in a specific order, to benefit you the most.
Approaches to lung cancer treatment include:
- Surgical oncology: Surgery removes tumors and is used during certain types of biopsies.
- Radiation oncology: High-energy radiation therapy, such as X-rays or gamma rays, shrinks tumors and destroys cancer cells.
- Medical oncology: Medications that shrink tumors and destroy cancer cells include chemotherapy and targeted therapy.
close During
Follow-up care
After you complete your lung cancer treatment, your care team works with you to develop an ongoing care plan. Regular follow-up care, also known as surveillance, is important to:
- Monitor your overall health
- Manage any remaining side effects
- Check for possible signs of the cancer coming back (recurring)
Follow-Up Care: Managing Side Effects After Treatment »
Follow-Up Care: What to Expect After Treatment »
We work closely with your primary care doctor throughout your treatment, providing updates on a regular basis. We continue this partnership after you finish treatment, to coordinate your ongoing care for lung cancer and any other health concerns.
Support after treatment PathWell
PathWell is a support services hub for people living with cancer and their loved ones. Our team of doctors, nurses, social workers, spiritual care providers, nutrition experts, financial counselors, and others work with your cancer care team to support your quality of life.
We support you through the challenges of lung cancer and its treatment with counseling, classes, and supportive care to meet your financial, physical, psychosocial, and spiritual needs.
Survivorship care
At Stanford, our support doesn’t end when you complete active treatment (treatment that directly fights cancer). Our Cancer Survivorship Program offers health care and other services to help lung cancer survivors transition to life after cancer and the activities you enjoy.
Our team of cancer professionals works with your lung cancer team to develop a personalized care plan for your post-treatment quality of life. We also communicate with your primary care doctor and any outside specialists you work with to update them on your treatment at Stanford. We can coordinate your care with them to help you stay healthy for the long term.
Our Cancer Survivorship team can start working with you and your family as soon as you receive your diagnosis. We encourage you to contact us then or at any time before your treatment ends so we can start building your plan.
Palliative care
Our palliative care specialists work closely with your care team to maintain your quality of life and achieve your personal goals after cancer treatment. Our palliative care providers work with your lung cancer care team and provide services including:
- Medical care to relieve cancer symptoms and treatment side effects
- Education about ongoing Lung cancer care
- Advance care planning to document your preferences for health care and end-of-life decisions
- Counseling to address issues such as:
- Anxiety and depression
- Body image
- Relationship management
- Return to work
Palliative care does not treat lung cancer. Rather, it helps you and your family cope with the disease in your daily life. You can receive palliative care:
- While you remain under your regular doctor’s care and are still receiving lung cancer treatments
- At any time, starting from diagnosis, throughout treatment, during follow-up, and at the end of life
Find out more about our palliative care and other supportive services for people with cancer in the PathWell »
close After
At the Stanford Cancer Center, we offer multidisciplinary care for lung cancer. That means your doctors, nurses and other members of your care team work together to support you before, during and after treatment.
Your Doctors
Oncologist (MD)
This type of doctor specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Oncologists in Stanford’s Head and Neck Cancer Program have years of training and experience in cancer care. The treatments we offer include:
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
- Medical therapy, such as chemotherapy, (medications that travel through the bloodstream to treat cancer anywhere in the body)
You will have a care team for each type of treatment you receive. The type of oncologist on your care team will depend on the type of cancer and treatment you have. The types of oncologists include:
Surgical Oncologist
These surgeons specialize in treating cancer through traditional (open) and minimally invasive surgery. Surgical oncologists perform biopsies (taking tiny tissue samples) to test for cancer. They also surgically remove tumors and surrounding tissue.
Medical Oncologist
These cancer doctors have specialized training in diagnosing cancer. They also treat it using medications, including chemotherapy, hormone therapy and biologic therapy (targeted therapy and immunotherapy). Medical oncologists often serve as your main health care provider, coordinating your treatment among several specialists.
Radiation Oncologist
These cancer specialists have subspecialty training in high-energy X-rays and other radiation therapy. Radiation can destroy or prevent the spread of cancer. Using advanced technologies, radiation oncologists can precisely target cancer cells to avoid damaging nearby healthy tissue.
Extended Care Team
This oncology-certified health care provider works with your oncologist to help with diagnosis and treatment. APPs may recommend medications, lifestyle changes, and services such as genetic counseling. An APP can be a nurse practitioner (NP), physician’s assistant (PA), or clinical nurse specialist (CNS).
Nurse coordinators are specialized registered nurses who provide one-on-one support to guide you through your cancer journey. MCCs serve as your point of contact to help manage your care, from your first appointment through follow-up visits. They assess your needs, answer your questions, make referrals, coordinate appointments, and provide patient education.
This team member helps with nonmedical issues such as scheduling your appointments, managing your paperwork, and requesting your medical records.
In Stanford’s team-based approach to cancer care, your oncologist works with other doctors throughout your course of treatment. Every doctor on your team focuses solely on cancer, with subspecialty training in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Subspecialty training is additional, highly specific training in cancer care, within cancer education.
An anesthesiologist is a doctor who specializes in using medications to block pain, help you relax, or make you unconscious for surgery. Anesthesiologists also maintain your vital functions such as breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate during surgery. Depending on the type of surgery you have, you may need local (small area), regional (larger area), or general (overall) anesthesia.
This doctor supervises doctors in training or in medical school. Your attending physician may be your surgeon, medical oncologist, or radiation oncologist.
A radiologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating cancer using imaging techniques including X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Our radiologists have additional training and experience in cancer care. These doctors interpret imaging results and take biopsies (when needed) to help confirm a diagnosis. You may not meet your radiologist, since these doctors usually work behind the scenes to determine your diagnosis.
Working closely with your oncologist, your pathologist performs and reads laboratory tests to determine the type and stage of cancer present. These doctors have special training to detect and diagnose cancer. They use a microscope to examine tissue samples taken during a biopsy. As with radiologists, you may not meet your pathologist.
This type of doctor is doing postgraduate studies specializing in the care of patients with cancer.
This doctor has graduated from medical school and is in training (also called residency) at Stanford. Residents in their first year are also called interns.
This health care provider is a student enrolled in Stanford’s medical school who is studying to become a doctor.
Support Services
Care team and supportive services
Depending on your treatment, additional health professionals may be on your care team. You may meet or hear about these team members during your visits.
Clinical nurse
A registered nurse will take care of you if you are hospitalized after surgery or need chemotherapy.
Genetic counselor
These health professionals have specialized experience in cancer genetics, the study of genes and gene mutations and how they affect a person’s risk of cancer. Not everyone may benefit from genetic testing. It is designed for people whose medical history shows the possibility of an inherited gene mutation.
Genetic counselors advise you and your family on identifying and managing any risk of inherited cancer. They work with you and your doctors to perform and review any genetic testing and help you understand the results.
Health librarian
If you are interested in learning more about cancer, our professional medical librarians can help. We offer free, science-based information on cancer and other health topics at the Stanford Health Library.
ITA scheduler
If you have apheresis (a specific type of blood transfusion) or chemotherapy, your infusion treatment area (ITA) scheduler will schedule your appointments.
Medical assistant (MA)
This team member helps you during your doctor visits by:
- Bringing you to your exam room after you check in for an appointment
- Providing you with a hospital gown or other clothing for your physical exam
- Taking your vital signs before your doctor sees you
New patient coordinator (NPC)
A staff member calls you before your first appointment to:
- Provide information that you need to know to prepare
- Provides a list of what you need to bring
- Helps gather your medical records
Occupational therapist (OT)
These skilled practitioners provide rehabilitation care to help you regain strength and functional ability during and after treatment for cancer. We help you with activities of daily living such as:
- Bathing or showering
- Dressing and grooming
- Using the restroom
- Feeding yourself
- Managing your medications
- Driving
Patient access representative (PAS)
This team member greets you at the front desk and registers you for your appointments.
Physical therapist (PT)
Cancer treatment can affect your strength and mobility, especially in the shoulder and arm. Physical therapists work with you and your family to recover your physical function after treatment, such as improving your:
- Strength, especially in the upper body
- Sensation, to relieve numbness in treated areas
- Range of motion, to reduce stiffness and pain
- Movement control, to improve endurance and reduce fatigue
Registered dietitian (RD)
Team members with specialized training and experience in food and nutrition work with you to understand your preferences and needs. RDs provide education about healthy eating and create a personalized diet to keep you healthy before, during, and after treatment.
Social worker (SW)
This health professional works with you and your family to provide emotional support, counseling, and resources such as financial assistance, spiritual counseling, and transportation. A social worker can also connect you with community services and, if you’re coming from out of town, help you find a place to stay.
Surgery scheduler
If you are meeting with a surgical oncologist or reconstruction surgeon or having surgery, a surgery scheduler will call you to arrange the details.
Call PathWell at 650-498-6000 to speak with us about how we can support you and your family members. PathWell is Stanford’s system of services that support physical, mental, and emotional healing and well-being.
We can help you identify professional therapists, services, and resources that are personalized to the needs of you and your family. Many of these services are free for Stanford patients and families.
Yes, always feel free to bring someone with you to your appointments. A family member or friend can help ask questions, write down and remember information your care team gives you, and provide support.
Yes. Just let your care team know that you would like to record your conversation. Another good way to keep track of your care team discussion is to keep notes (bring a pencil or pen and your Patient & Family Resource Guide, which has a notes section). A family member or friend can attend your appointments to take notes for you.
The decision about whether and how much to share with your children is personal. Call PathWell at 650-498-6000 to learn about the support available for your family members.
We can help you decide on an approach for involving your family that is right for you. In addition to our services at Stanford, some of our patients and families have recommended other websites for children and teens with parents who have cancer:
An advance health care directive is a legal document you can complete. It specifies the kind of care and treatments you want (or don’t want) if you become seriously ill and can’t make such decisions yourself.
In California, an advance health care directive allows you to designate an agent, or someone you trust to make health care decisions on your behalf. You can also list your health care instructions. You can ask your doctor, nurse, social worker, or other health care provider for more information.
At Stanford, advance health care directive forms are available in the hospital units and at the clinics. You can also call our Spiritual Care Service at 650-723-5101 to get a form or discuss a directive with one of our spiritual care counselors.
Our Cancer Survivorship Program will help you adjust and cope with your new lifestyle after treatment for cancer. You’ll speak with Advance Practice Providers (APPs), survivorship experts who specialize in working with people with cancer and their families.
We help you and your family transition from diagnosis to wellness through a variety of psychosocial services, in addition to medical care. Call 650-498-6000 or visit https://stanfordhealthcare.org/medical-clinics/cancer-survivorship-program.html.
Our social workers can help you plan ways to manage your job during cancer care. Call PathWell at 650-498-6000 to speak with us about your work-related concerns. We can help you with completing disability paperwork, finding financial assistance, and taking a leave of absence from your job during treatment.
At your first appointment, you will meet the team who will take care of you throughout your treatment. During this visit, your doctor will discuss your medical history with you in detail, perform a physical examination, and discuss possible treatment options. During your first visit, we will share some important information about cancer and your treatment options.