If your doctor believes that you have lung cancer, they will request some tests that can show how far the cancer has spread, known as staging tests. Staging tests also give useful information about the best place to collect a sample of tissue from. The stage of your lung cancer is one of the factors that will help your healthcare professionals to decide on the best kind of treatment to offer you. If your doctor believes that you have lung cancer, they will request some tests that can show how far the cancer has spread, known as staging tests. Staging tests also give useful information about the best place to collect a sample of tissue from. The stage of your lung cancer is one of the factors that will help your healthcare professionals to decide on the best kind of treatment to offer you.
When lung cancer is diagnosed after symptoms have appeared, it is often at a later stage. When lung cancer is found as part of a lung cancer screening programme, it is usually found at an early stage when treatments to cure the cancer are likely to be more successful.
Being told that you have lung cancer can be devastating. Many people with lung cancer find that being able to talk to someone outside of their family, such as a counsellor or psychologist, can often help. If you feel this might be helpful for you, talk to your doctor about what services might be available in your area.