Each year, an estimated 93,000 men and 82,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with lung cancer, with a median age of 70 years of age (Jemal A et al 2006; Gloeckler Ries LA et al 2003). To date the prognosis is grim for most forms of lung cancer as the five-year overall survival rate of only 14 percent has hardly changed in the past 50 years (Sugimura H et al 2006). Cigarette smoking is the main cause of lung cancer; however, nonsmokers also develop the disease due to genetics, secondhand smoke, and exposure to toxins and radon gas (Toh CK et al 2006; Vukovic B et al 2005).

Novel approaches are urgently needed that reverse, suppress, or prevent lung cancer development (van Zandwijk N 2005). Early detection offers the best chance for long-term survival (Saba NF et al 2005). The conventional choices of treatment include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy and depend on the type and stage of the cancer (European Lung Cancer Working Party 2006). Irrespective of the treatment method used, complementary therapy, such as nutritional supplementation and the use of bioresponse modifiers, is an important addition to traditional treatment that could help control symptoms, enhance quality of life, and improve overall survival (Jatoi A et al 2005b).

What Is Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is a disease in which cells in the lungs begin to grow out of control and interfere with normal lung functions such as breathing. The vast majority of lung cancer cases fall into one of two categories: non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

NSCLC. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, making up nearly 80 percent of all cases. This type of lung cancer grows and spreads more slowly than the other major type and is therefore more treatable. NSCLC is divided into three subtypes: squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma. The five-year survival rate for patients with NSCLC is less than 25 percent (Jemal A et al 2006).

SCLC. SCLC accounts for 20 percent of all lung cancer cases. Its small cells can rapidly reproduce to form large tumors that quickly spread to the lymph nodes and other parts of the body. This type of lung cancer is almost always caused by smoking or secondhand smoke. SCLC responds well to chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment initially. However, less than 5 percent of SCLC patients survive five years past diagnosis; a patient with untreated SCLC has an average survival time of two to three months (Toyooka S et al 2001).

Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is diagnosed when cancer cells are found in pleural fluid or tissue. It is associated with asbestos exposure (70 percent of cases), and asbestos workers have a lifetime risk of 8 percent; tumors arise 20 to 40 years after asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma has a poor prognosis, with 75 percent of patients dying within one year and five-year survival being about 5 percent. Long-term survival has been reported in 50 percent of patients who receive a combination of surgical removal of cancer followed by chemotherapy during surgery and intraperitoneal chemotherapy soon after surgery.