How is non-small cell lung cancer treated?
Early-stage non-small cell lung cancer
There are several types of treatment for early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Each person with lung cancer has different factors that need to be considered for a treatment plan, so what may be best for one person may not be best for someone else. You and your healthcare team should discuss the best treatment(s) for you based on the type and stage of lung cancer you have, your symptoms, your preferences, and any other health problems you may have.
The stage and location of your cancer helps determine the best treatment option (Tables 1 and 2).
Advanced non-small cell lung cancer
Advanced-stage NSCLC is defined as Stage IIIB to Stage IVB. If the cancer is at an advanced stage, it is usually not possible to remove all the cancer with surgery and the goal of treatment is to control your cancer, minimize symptoms, and extend and improve quality of life. This is usually done with more than one type of therapy given separately or in combination (for example, radiation therapy (RT) or systemic therapy.) Systemic therapies that are used to treat advanced NSCLC include:
* Chemotherapy – drugs that kill fast growing cells, including cancer cells,
* Immunotherapy – drugs that use your own immune system to kill cancer,
* Targeted therapy – drugs that target changes that are specific to your cancer cells, and
* Antibody-drug conjugates – drugs that combine the power of chemotherapy and targeted therapy.
Continue on to the other pages in this toolkit to learn more about how these treatments are used.
Sources
American Cancer Society.
Treatment Choices for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, by Stage. Last revised June 23, 2025.
Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Treatment by Stage | American Cancer Society
National Cancer Institute.
Non-Small Cell Lung cancer Treatment (PDQ)-Patient Version. Updated May 16, 2025. https://www.cancer.gov/types/lung/patient/non-small-cell-lung-treatment-pdq
National Comprehensive Cancer Network®.
NCCN Guidelines for Patients®. Early and Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. 2026. https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/lung-early-stage-patient.pdf
National Comprehensive Cancer Network®.
NCCN Guidelines for Patients®. Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. 2026. https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/lung-metastatic-patient.pdf
NCCN Guidelines for Patients®.
Early and Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. 2024.
https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/lung-early-stage-patient.pdf
NCCN Guidelines for Patients®.
Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. 2024.
https://www.nccn.org/patients/guidelines/content/PDF/lung-metastatic-patient.pdf
URLs accessed April 9, 2026.
