When you’re diagnosed with early-stage NSCLC (Stages 1-2b), making a plan for what’s next can help you feel confident and prepared for your cancer journey.

Having early-stage lung cancer generally means that the cancer has not yet spread to other distant locations and may be surgically removed. It’s often diagnosed by imaging tests or by procedures like biopsies. A biopsy is when tissue or fluid are removed from the body so they can be examined by a pathologist.

These steps may help you navigate early-stage NSCLC.

Step 1: Learn more about your lung cancer

After a lung cancer diagnosis, one of the first steps doctors will take is to try to determine which type of cancer you have. They will also look at the size of the cancer in the body, if it has spread beyond the lungs, and if so, to where. This is called staging.

Talk with your healthcare team and do research about your type and stage of lung cancer. Having a clear understanding of what is happening in your body can help you make informed decisions with your healthcare team along every point of your cancer journey.

Step 2: Determine your life and treatment goals

A cancer diagnosis can impact every part of your life. Now is the time to think about the things in your life that are most important. Consider your family, career, hobbies and other responsibilities. What family events are important to you? What are some things you are going to need help with? How can you manage time away from work? Now is also a good time to ask friends and family for support – whether that means help with household chores, driving your kids to school or just having a few positive people to talk to.

Write down your thoughts, questions, expectations and aspirations and share these with your healthcare team. Together, you and your team can set realistic goals for treatment and determine the plan that’s right for you.

Step 3: Test for biomarkers

Biomarker testing, also called genetic testing, molecular testing, or mutation testing, is an important part of getting a full diagnosis. It can also help determine which therapies may work for you.

Biomarkers are biological molecules found in the blood or tissue that can serve as indicators of various types of cancer. Some biomarkers occur because of changes in the genes called mutations. Learning more about cancer’s biomarkers can be very helpful in understanding more about your type of cancer and the treatment that may work for you. Be sure to ask your healthcare team about biomarker testing.

Step 4: Discuss adjuvant therapy

Adjuvant therapies are additional cancer treatments given after primary treatment. In early-stage NSCLC, surgery is often the primary treatment. Surgery is most commonly used with the goal of removing the tumor from the body. Depending on the size and location of the cancer, surgery may be used alone or in combination with other treatments (used before or after surgery).

Adjuvant therapy includes radiation, chemotherapy and targeted therapy.

Step 5: Create a plan with your healthcare team

Your healthcare team is there to help you every step of the way. Work with them to create a complete plan for treatment.

As you partner with your doctors to create your treatment plan, it’s important to ask questions. With early-stage NSCLC, you might start with these:

  • Am I a good candidate for surgery?
  • Will I be able to return to my normal life after surgery?
  • Should I also have chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy? Before or after surgery?
  • Has my tumour been tested for biomarkers?
  • Is targeted therapy right for me?
  • What kind of side effects can I expect?
  • Are there drugs I can take to help with side effects?

Step 6: Stick to your treatment and monitoring plan

A recurrence or recurrent cancer is when cancer comes back after the first treatment. This doesn’t mean the treatment was wrong or didn’t work, it just means that a small amount of cancer cells survived the treatment and were too small to show-up in the follow-up tests over time, these cells grew into detectable cancer.

Like most things in life, consistency is key when it comes to living with lung cancer. When initial treatment is complete, your doctor might have you come in for annual checkups or scans. Sticking to your monitoring plan and prioritizing your care is very important, especially when it comes to identifying a recurrence. While your care, up to and immediately following surgery, may have been managed by a surgeon, it is important to ask for a referral to an oncologist to ensure proper monitoring. An oncologist is critical to understanding the complete picture of your cancer care and providing guidance on next steps.

Your oncologist may prescribe adjuvant therapy after your primary treatment. Be sure to continue your treatment plan through the entire recommended duration.

Step 7: Find Support and Resources

Early-stage NSCLC can bring on several emotions and worries, including concerns of recurrence. And while every lung cancer journey is different, most people can benefit from a little extra support, guidance and the right resources. Finding information from a community who understands what you’re going through can help you and your loved ones feel heard, informed and inspired.