Compass Oncology Blog

What You Should Know About the Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Cancer

Written by Jonathan Kipp | Mar 14, 2025 4:41:28 PM

If your doctor requests a follow-up after a chest CT scan or chest x-ray, acting quickly is important, especially if you're experiencing symptoms of lung cancer. While the diagnosis could be something other than lung cancer, the sooner you receive a proper diagnosis, the more likely treatment will be successful.

How Do Doctors Diagnose Lung Cancer?

There are a few common ways lung cancer is identified.

  1. A lot of times, lung cancer is spotted on an image taken for another health condition. There are no lung cancer symptoms, but an area of concern is seen in the image, and more testing is recommended.
  2. Lung cancer screening is now available for those at the highest risk of developing the disease. Screening uses a low-dose CT scan to identify areas of concern in patients early on before symptoms appear.
  3. If you are experiencing symptoms associated with lung cancer, your doctor will likely recommend further tests to rule out or confirm lung cancer. 

The doctor who diagnoses you could be your primary care physician or a pulmonologist if you have other lung conditions or your primary care suggested a pulmonologist for more thorough testing. 

If a chest X-ray has already been done, the next step is usually a CT or MRI scan, which provides more detailed images of the lungs. If a screening CT scan was performed, a second scan may be done as a diagnostic test with more detailed images.

Blood and sputum (spit) tests are also used to detect lung cancer.

If the scans or clinical tests indicate the presence of lung cancer, most patients have a biopsy next. During a biopsy, your doctor collects a small tissue sample, usually through a thin needle, that will be analyzed by a pathologist. If cancer cells are found, the pathology report will also specify the type of lung cancer present. 

Learn more about the tests used to diagnose lung cancer. 

What Happens After Lung Cancer Is Confirmed

When you're diagnosed with lung cancer, you'll need to meet with a doctor who specializes in cancer called an oncologist. The oncologist will analyze your pathology report, which includes the type and genetic profile of your lung cancer, to create a personalized treatment plan. Lung cancers are primarily categorized into two types: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

In addition to identifying the type of lung cancer, the oncologist will determine the stage (extent) of the disease. Potential cancer spread is also a concern. Your oncologist will likely test your lymph nodes to check for any involvement and perform tests, such as PET-CT or MRI, to see if cancer has developed in areas outside of the lungs.

Read more about the non-small cell and small cell lung cancer staging process. 

What are the Available Lung Cancer Treatment Options?

There are many treatment options available for all types of lung cancer. However, some treatments only work on one type of lung cancer. Your oncologist will work with your cancer care team to consider several factors before creating a customized treatment plan for you. These factors include the cancer's location, type, stage, genetic markers, your personal preferences, and overall health. 

Your treatment plan will include one or a combination of treatment methods, such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.

  • Surgery works well for both types of lung cancer if it’s found early and has not spread throughout one or both lungs. Small cell lung cancer tends to grow so quickly into both lungs by the time it’s found, which means surgery isn’t as effective. The same can be true if non-small cell lung cancer is not diagnosed early enough.

  • Chemotherapy is commonly used to kill cancer cells that have spread throughout the lung and into the lymph nodes for all types of lung cancer. If surgery is performed, chemotherapy is usually given afterward, along with radiation therapy. If surgery cannot be performed, chemotherapy is one of the primary treatments to kill all of the cancer cells. For small cell lung cancer, chemotherapy is often combined with immunotherapy.

  • Immunotherapy drugs, specifically checkpoint inhibitors, can help patients with either small cell or non-small cell lung cancer by enabling their immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Immunotherapies are continuously evolving, providing patients with more options and promising outcomes.

  • Targeted therapy is an option for patients with late-stage or recurring non-small cell lung cancer. These drugs are designed to hone in on a specific gene mutation that allows cancer to grow. The exact genetic mutations vary by patient, so not everyone receives the same therapies.

    Read more about Genetic Mutation Biomarker Testing and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.

  • Radiation therapy can be used for both non-small cell and small cell lung cancers, either as the primary treatment or with surgery to enhance its effectiveness. It is also used as palliative care for patients experiencing pain due to lung cancer. 

    Related Reading: Using Radiation Therapy for Treating Lung Cancer

Are There New Lung Cancer Treatments Coming? 

Thanks to clinical research trials like those available through our practice, many new lung cancer treatments have become widely available in the past several years. There is a lot of emphasis on targeted therapies for genetic mutations found in lung cancer, immunotherapies, and combinations of these drugs with chemotherapy to get the best results possible. 

If a clinical trial demonstrates that a new treatment is more effective than the standard one, the new therapy may eventually replace the existing standard treatment for specific patients.

If you are a good fit for a clinical trial available at Compass Oncology, our research team will share that with you and allow you to decide which treatment path you’d like to follow.

Learn more about cancer research and clinical trials available for lung cancer.

Personalized Lung Cancer Care in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington

The lung cancer specialists at Compass Oncology are here to support you after a lung cancer diagnosis. We offer the latest lung cancer treatments and create personalized care plans tailored to your needs. Additionally, we can provide a second opinion regarding your diagnosis and recommended lung cancer treatment. 

To get started, schedule a consultation with one of our lung cancer doctors. We have several cancer centers located in the Portland, OR, and Vancouver, WA area.