A guide for people with cancer, their families and friends

Download your copy here:  Understanding Lung Cancer 1.21 Mb  

Introduction

This booklet has been prepared to help you understand more about lung cancer.

Many people feel shocked and upset when told they have lung cancer. We hope this booklet will help you understand how lung cancer is diagnosed and treated. We also include information about support services.

We cannot advise you about the best treatment for you. You need to discuss this with your doctors. However, we hope this information will answer some questions and help you think about questions to ask your doctors or other health carers.

You may like to pass this booklet to family and friends for their information.This booklet does not need to be read from cover to cover – just read the parts that are useful to you.

Some medical terms that may be unfamiliar are explained in the glossary. 

About Understanding Lung Cancer

A guide for people with cancer, their families and friends
First edition published 1997
Revised May 2003, April 2005, June 2007, July 2010
© The Cancer Council New South Wales 2010ISBN 978 1 921619 16 8

Understanding Lung Cancer is reviewed approximately every two years. Check the publication date above to ensure this copy of the booklet is up to date. To obtain a more recent copy, phone the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20.

Acknowledgements

This edition has been developed by Cancer Council NSW on behalf of all other state and territory Cancer Councils.

We thank the reviewers of this booklet: Dr Nick Pavlakis, Medical Oncologist, Department of Medical Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital; Jocelyn McLean RN, MN (Res), Case Manager for Thoracic Surgery, Sydney South Western Area Health Service, Eastern Zone; Eileen Ryan, Consumer.

This booklet was developed in collaboration with The Australian Lung Foundation. We thank the health professionals who reviewed this booklet on behalf of the Foundation and Glenda Colburn, Program Development Manager, National Lung Cancer Program.

We would also like to thank the health professionals and consumers who have worked on previous editions of this title.Illustrations on pages 4–5 were adapted from Cancer Council Victoria.

Editor: Laura Wuellner
Designers: Paula Marchant & Eleonora Pelosi
Illustrator: Eleonora Pelosi
Printer: SOS Media Group (Alexandria NSW)

Content updated June 3, 2011