Stage IV NSCLC is typically managed with which approach?

Stage IV NSCLC is typically managed with which approach?

• A. Palliative chemotherapy/immunotherapy
• B. Curative surgery
• C. Immunotherapy only
• D. Radiation only

Answer: (A)

Stage IV NSCLC means the cancer has spread beyond the lung, so treating the whole body becomes the priority. Because distant metastases are present, removing the tumor or relying on local treatment alone is unlikely to cure the disease. The goal shifts to palliation and extending survival, using systemic therapy that can reach cancer cells throughout the body. Platinum-based chemotherapy remains a backbone, and immunotherapy is now commonly added or used in combination, depending on molecular markers and PD-L1 status. Radiation or surgery may play a role for specific symptoms or limited metastatic sites, but they do not address widespread disease on their own. So the typical approach is palliative chemotherapy/immunotherapy.

Stage IV NSCLC means the cancer has spread beyond the lung, so treating the whole body becomes the priority. Because distant metastases are present, removing the tumor or relying on local treatment alone is unlikely to cure the disease. The goal shifts to palliation and extending survival, using systemic therapy that can reach cancer cells throughout the body. Platinum-based chemotherapy remains a backbone, and immunotherapy is now commonly added or used in combination, depending on molecular markers and PD-L1 status. Radiation or surgery may play a role for specific symptoms or limited metastatic sites, but they do not address widespread disease on their own. So the typical approach is palliative chemotherapy/immunotherapy.