Stage 1 lung cancer
Stage 1 lung cancer is the earliest stage of the disease. It is often called early-stage lung cancer or localised lung cancer and is typically classified in two stages – stage 1a or stage 1b.
Stage 1a lung cancer means one or more of the following may have occurred:
- The tumour is between 1cm and 3cm
- The cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes
- The cancer has not spread to other parts of your body.
Stage 1b lung cancer means one or more of the following may have occurred:
- The tumour is between 3cm and 4cm
- The cancer has grown into the main airway (bronchus) of the lung
- The cancer has grown into the membrane (visceral pleura) covering the lung
- The cancer is blocking the airway or causes inflammation in the lung tissue, resulting in the lung partly or completely collapsing.
Treatment for stage 1 lung cancer
There are different treatment options for stage 1 lung cancer. Curative-intent treatment is the aim for people with stage 1 lung cancer.
Your treatment will depend on several factors including:
- The type of lung cancer you have (e.g. small cell lung cancer or non-small cell lung cancer)
- The position and size of your tumour
- Your general health and fitness.
Surgery for stage 1 lung cancer
If you have stage 1 lung cancer and are considered in good health, the primary treatment option is surgery.
If your doctors decide surgery is the best option for you, you will either have part of your lung removed (a lobectomy, segmentectomy or wedge resection) or the whole of your lung removed (pneumonectomy). This will depend on the location of the tumour.
After you have recovered from surgery, your doctor may offer adjuvant treatment to reduce the chances of your cancer recurring. This might involve chemotherapy, immunotherapy or a targeted therapy.
Jackie’s story
Jackie was diagnosed with stage 1 lung cancer and had surgery to remove her cancer.
The original plan was to remove the lower lobe. However, the tumour was bigger than the doctor’s anticipated. Erring on the side of caution and to minimise the risk of her cancer coming back, the doctors opted to remove the whole lung.
At first Jackie was devastated; she didn’t know how she would be able to live with just one lung. Now Jackie knows you can live a perfectly healthy, normal life with one lung.
Other treatments for stage 1 lung cancer
If surgery is not an option to treat your lung cancer, or you decide you don’t want to have an operation, there are other treatment options available. These includes:
Bill’s story
Bill was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2000. Due to the location of the tumour, he was unable to have surgery. Instead, Bill had six sessions of chemotherapy, followed up with a shorter session 10 days later. He then had 20 sessions of radiotherapy.
Two years later, Bill was given the all clear and remains cancer-free.
After treatment for stage 1 lung cancer
After you have completed your treatment, you will have regularly follow up scans.
Typically, after five years of clear scans, you will be discharged and require no further follow ups.