Treatment for most cancers involves either surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or a combination. Treatment is usually individualized according to the person's age, overall health, the type of cancer, and its stage.
If lung cancer is caught in the early stages, it hasn't spread to the surrounding tissue, and the person is otherwise healthy, surgery to remove either part of the lung or the entire organ may be an option. If circumstances are not ideal for surgery, however, radiation, chemotherapy, or both may be preferred.
Be sure to understand the side effects of these treatments and what you can do to cope with them. If you find the side effects such as fatigue, nausea, or dyspnea (shortness of breath), difficult to manage, talk to your doctor. There may be alternatives available.