Lung Adenocarcinoma at 10x Magnification

Surgery is generally the main form of treatment for adenocarcinomas and other types of non-small cell lung cancers. Depending on the specific characteristics of the tumor and the needs of the patient, surgery may entail the removal of only a small portion of affected lung tissue (wedge resection), a complete lobe of the lung (lobectomy), or the entire organ (pneumonectomy). Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are frequently utilized as adjuvant therapies for lung cancer patients and can help kill any cancer cells that remain after surgery. They are also sometimes utilized to shrink or slow the growth of tumors and relieve symptoms in individuals whose disease is so advanced at the time of diagnosis that a cure is not possible, though their lives may be prolonged with medical care.