Your Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Stage 4 Treatment Options

The conversation around advanced lung cancer has changed dramatically. What was once discussed in terms of limited options is now a conversation about personalized medicine, genetic targets, and harnessing the power of the immune system. This shift is driven by incredible scientific progress that has led to smarter, more effective therapies. For you, this means more hope and more possibilities. This guide explains the modern approaches to non small cell lung cancer stage 4 treatment, from targeted therapies that attack the cancer’s specific vulnerabilities to clinical trials that offer access to the next wave of innovation. Our goal is to give you the information you need to have informed discussions with your care team about the best path forward.

Key Takeaways

• Insist on comprehensive biomarker testing: Your treatment plan should be built on the specific genetic makeup of your tumor. Identifying mutations like EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 is the key to unlocking personalized treatments like targeted therapy, which can be more effective than a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Use palliative care to improve your quality of life: This is not the same as hospice care. Palliative care is a layer of support that works alongside your cancer treatment from day one to help manage symptoms and side effects, allowing you to feel stronger and more comfortable throughout your therapy.
• You are the most important member of your care team: Your input is essential. Communicate openly with your doctors about how you’re feeling, ask if clinical trials are an option for you, and ensure your personal goals for quality of life are central to every treatment decision.

What Is Stage 4 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?

Receiving a Stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnosis means the cancer has spread from its original location in the lung to other parts of the body. You might also hear your doctor refer to it as advanced or metastatic lung cancer. This happens when cancer cells break away from the primary tumor and travel through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to establish new tumors in distant areas like the other lung, the brain, bones, liver, or adrenal glands.

It’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed by this information. Taking the time to process it is important. Understanding what this stage means is the first step toward working with your care team to create a treatment plan that’s right for you. While a Stage 4 diagnosis is serious, it’s important to know that treatment has advanced significantly. The focus of care is often on controlling the cancer’s growth, managing symptoms, and maintaining your quality of life for as long as possible. Your oncology team will use detailed information about your specific cancer to find the most effective therapies available, many of which can be very effective for long periods.

What Makes Stage 4 Different?

The key difference in Stage 4 NSCLC is that the cancer is no longer localized to one area. Because it has spread, treatment approaches are different from those used for earlier stages, which might focus on surgery or radiation to remove a single tumor. For Stage 4, treatment is systemic, meaning it travels throughout your body to treat cancer cells wherever they are.

This is also the stage where treatment becomes highly personalized. Your care plan won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, your doctors will create a strategy based on the unique characteristics of your cancer, where it has spread, and your overall health. Knowing the cancer stage is crucial because it helps your care team determine the best possible treatment path for your specific situation.

How Is Advanced NSCLC Diagnosed?

To confirm a Stage 4 diagnosis, your doctors will use a combination of tests. Imaging scans like CT, MRI, and PET scans help them see the size of the original tumor and identify exactly where the cancer has spread. They will also likely perform a biopsy to take a small sample of tissue from a metastatic site.

Doctors use a system called TNM to formally stage the cancer: T for the size of the original Tumor, N for spread to nearby lymph Nodes, and M for Metastasis (spread to distant parts of the body). In Stage 4, the “M” is the key factor. Beyond staging, your doctors will analyze the biopsy sample for specific genetic changes, or biomarkers. This genetic testing is essential for finding the most effective targeted therapies and immunotherapies for your cancer.

Your Treatment Options for Stage 4 NSCLC

When you receive a Stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer diagnosis, your care team’s main goal is to create a treatment plan that helps you live longer and better. The focus shifts to managing the cancer, relieving symptoms, and maintaining your quality of life. Modern treatments have made it possible to manage advanced lung cancer more like a chronic condition, and your plan will be completely personalized to you.

Your oncologist will consider several factors, including the cancer’s specific genetic makeup, where it has spread, and your overall health. The main treatment approaches for Stage 4 NSCLC are targeted therapy, immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Very often, these treatments are used in combination or one after another to get the best possible results. Your doctor will walk you through which options are right for you, but it’s always helpful to understand the role each one can play in your care.

Targeted Therapy

Think of targeted therapy as a precision medicine approach. These drugs are designed to find and attack cancer cells with specific genetic changes, or mutations, that help them grow and spread. Before you can start this treatment, your doctor will need to perform biomarker testing on a sample of the tumor tissue to see if it has a specific genetic marker that a drug can target. If your cancer cells have one of these mutations, targeted therapy can be a highly effective first-line treatment. If no treatable genetic changes are found, this therapy won’t be an option for you.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a groundbreaking treatment that uses your body’s own immune system to fight cancer. Cancer cells can sometimes hide from the immune system by using certain proteins on their surface as a “don’t attack me” signal. Immunotherapy drugs, often called checkpoint inhibitors, block these signals, allowing your immune cells to recognize and destroy the cancer cells. Your doctor may test your tumor for proteins like PD-L1 to help predict how well immunotherapy might work for you. It can be used on its own or combined with chemotherapy, especially for people whose tumors don’t have the specific mutations needed for targeted therapy.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy has long been a standard treatment for lung cancer and remains a vital option for many people with Stage 4 NSCLC. These powerful drugs work by killing fast-growing cells throughout the body, which includes cancer cells. It’s often the primary treatment when the cancer doesn’t have specific genetic markers for targeted therapy or high levels of PD-L1 for immunotherapy. Your oncologist may recommend a combination of chemotherapy drugs or a single drug, depending on your overall health and ability to tolerate side effects. The goal is to shrink the cancer, slow its growth, and manage your symptoms.

Radiation Therapy

While other treatments work systemically (throughout the whole body), radiation therapy is a local treatment that uses high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells in a specific area. For Stage 4 NSCLC, radiation is not typically used to cure the cancer but is incredibly important for palliative care—that is, relieving symptoms and improving your quality of life. For example, your doctor might recommend palliative radiation to shrink a tumor that is causing pain, bleeding, or difficulty breathing. It is also very effective at treating cancer that has spread to the bones or the brain.

How Genetic Testing Shapes Your Treatment Plan

One of the most important things to understand about stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is that every cancer is unique. Just as we all have different fingerprints, each tumor has a distinct genetic makeup that influences how it grows and behaves. Genetic testing, also called genomic profiling or biomarker testing, is how your doctors can get a detailed look at the specific DNA of the cancer cells. This isn’t about the genes you were born with; it’s about identifying the mutations within the tumor that are driving its growth.

Think of it as your oncology team getting a specific blueprint of your cancer. This information is a game-changer because it allows them to move beyond a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead of starting with broad treatments like chemotherapy, they can identify the cancer’s specific vulnerabilities and choose a therapy designed to attack them directly. For anyone diagnosed with advanced NSCLC, getting this comprehensive biomarker testing is a critical first step in building the most effective and personalized treatment plan possible. It helps ensure you’re getting the right treatment for you, right from the start.

Key Genetic Mutations to Look For

When your doctor orders genetic testing for the tumor, they are looking for specific changes, or mutations, that can be targeted with treatment. These mutations act like flags on the cancer cells, signaling to your care team what’s making them grow. While there are many potential biomarkers, a few are particularly important in NSCLC because we have effective drugs that target them.

The most common ones your team will test for are EGFR, ALK, and ROS1. Finding one of these mutations is like discovering the cancer’s Achilles’ heel. It provides a clear target, allowing your doctor to select a drug specifically designed to block that mutation’s signal, effectively shutting down the cancer’s growth engine.

Why EGFR, ALK, and ROS1 Testing Matters

Identifying one of these key mutations directly impacts your treatment path. If testing reveals your tumor has an EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 mutation, your doctor will likely recommend a targeted therapy as your first line of treatment. These are often pills you take at home, not IV infusions like traditional chemotherapy.

For example, a tumor with an EGFR mutation might respond well to drugs like osimertinib, while an ALK mutation can be treated with medications like alectinib. These drugs are designed to fit into the mutated protein like a key in a lock, blocking its ability to tell the cell to grow and divide. For many people, these therapies can be more effective and have different side effects than chemotherapy.

The Benefits of Genomic Profiling

The ultimate goal of genomic profiling is to create a treatment strategy tailored to your specific cancer. This personalized approach is a cornerstone of modern cancer care. By understanding the unique genetic makeup of your tumor, your oncologist can select therapies that are much more likely to be effective from the outset.

This can lead to better outcomes, including slowing the cancer’s growth and helping you live longer. It can also mean a better quality of life during treatment. While targeted therapies have their own side effects, they are often different from and can be more manageable than those associated with traditional chemotherapy. This precise, data-driven approach helps ensure you receive the most advanced and appropriate care for your diagnosis.

How Doctors Create Your Personalized Treatment Strategy

Receiving a diagnosis of stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can feel overwhelming, but your treatment plan won’t be a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, your care team will develop a strategy tailored specifically to you. This plan is a roadmap built by a team of specialists—including medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and surgeons—who consider every detail of your diagnosis. They look at the cancer’s genetic makeup, decide on the best combination of treatments, and always factor in your overall health. Understanding how these pieces fit together can help you feel more prepared and involved in your care.

Factors That Guide Treatment Decisions

Your treatment plan starts with a deep look at the cancer itself. Doctors analyze the tumor’s specific characteristics, especially its genetic profile. This is why biomarker testing is so important. By identifying genetic mutations in the cancer cells, your team can determine if you are a candidate for targeted therapies that attack those specific changes. Beyond genetics, your care team considers the cancer’s location and how much it has spread. A team of specialists will collaborate to review your case, ensuring your plan fits your individual needs.

Combining and Sequencing Treatments

For advanced NSCLC, treatment often involves using multiple therapies together or in a specific order. Your doctors will create a sequence that makes the most sense for your cancer. For example, you might receive chemotherapy at the same time as radiation, a common approach known as chemoradiation. This can make cancer cells more sensitive to the radiation. In other cases, immunotherapy might be recommended, either on its own or with chemotherapy, depending on the levels of certain proteins on your cancer cells. The goal is to attack the cancer from different angles.

How Your Overall Health Plays a Role

Your treatment plan isn’t just about the cancer; it’s about you as a whole person. Your overall health, fitness level, and any other medical conditions are critical factors. Some treatments, like intensive chemotherapy or surgery, may not be suitable for everyone, so your doctors will assess what your body can handle. This is where your voice is essential. Your healthcare team will work with you to create a plan that aligns with your quality of life goals. Openly discussing your preferences helps ensure your treatment strategy respects what’s most important to you.

What to Expect: Managing Treatment Side Effects

Starting treatment for stage 4 NSCLC can feel overwhelming, and it’s completely normal to worry about potential side effects. The good news is that your care team is there to help you manage them every step of the way. Each treatment—from targeted therapy to chemotherapy—affects your body differently, so the side effects you experience will depend on your specific plan.

The single most important thing you can do is maintain open and honest communication with your doctors and nurses. Don’t hesitate to tell them about any new or worsening symptoms, no matter how small they seem. They can’t help you if they don’t know what’s going on. There are many effective strategies, medications, and support systems available to help you feel your best during treatment. Keeping a simple journal of your symptoms can also be a huge help, making it easier to share specific details during your appointments. Remember, managing side effects is a key part of your cancer care, not an afterthought.

Managing Side Effects of Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy works by zeroing in on specific characteristics of cancer cells, which means its side effects are often different from those of traditional chemotherapy. While every person’s experience is unique, some common side effects include fatigue, diarrhea, and skin issues like rashes or dryness. Some targeted drugs can also affect your liver function, which is something your care team will monitor closely with regular blood tests.

It’s essential to report any new or unusual symptoms to your doctor. They have many ways to help you manage these side effects effectively, whether it’s with medication, skin creams, or dietary adjustments, ensuring you can stay on your treatment plan as comfortably as possible.

Immunotherapy Reactions to Watch For

Immunotherapy harnesses your own immune system to fight cancer, which is a powerful approach. However, it can sometimes cause your immune system to become overactive and attack healthy tissues, leading to side effects. Many people experience mild issues like fatigue, skin rash, or flu-like symptoms.

More serious reactions, though less common, can include inflammation of organs like the lungs, liver, or intestines. These require immediate medical attention. Be sure to let your care team know right away if you experience severe symptoms like shortness of breath, significant abdominal pain, or yellowing of your skin or eyes. Understanding these potential immunotherapy reactions helps you and your team stay proactive.

Coping with Chemotherapy Side Effects

When people think of cancer treatment, the side effects of chemotherapy are often what come to mind. You might experience fatigue, nausea, vomiting, hair loss, or an increased risk of infection because chemo targets rapidly dividing cells—both cancerous and healthy ones.

Please know that managing these symptoms has come a long way. Your oncology team has an entire toolkit of medications and strategies to help prevent or reduce these effects. For example, anti-nausea drugs can be very effective, and there are steps you can take to protect yourself from infection. Communicating openly about how you’re feeling is key, as there are many ways to help you handle chemotherapy side effects and maintain your quality of life.

Managing Radiation Therapy Side Effects

Radiation therapy is a localized treatment, meaning its side effects are usually confined to the area of your body being treated. If you’re receiving radiation to your chest for lung cancer, you might experience skin irritation similar to a sunburn, fatigue, or some difficulty or pain with swallowing.

These symptoms are typically temporary and will improve after your treatment course is finished. Your care team can recommend special lotions for your skin and provide dietary tips to make swallowing easier. Palliative radiation, which is used to relieve symptoms like pain, may have fewer side effects. Always discuss any discomfort with your provider, as they can offer solutions to ease these symptoms and side effects.

What to Know About Palliative Care

When you’re managing a stage 4 NSCLC diagnosis, your focus is rightly on your treatment plan. But there’s another layer of care that can make a world of difference in your day-to-day life: palliative care. Think of it as a support system that works alongside your cancer treatment to help you feel as good as possible, for as long as possible. It’s all about managing symptoms, reducing stress, and ensuring your comfort and quality of life are top priorities.

Palliative Care vs. Hospice: What’s the Difference?

It’s easy to confuse palliative care with hospice, but they are not the same. This is one of the most common misconceptions around palliative care, so let’s clear it up. Palliative care is specialized medical care for anyone with a serious illness, and you can receive it at any point after diagnosis, regardless of prognosis. It’s provided right alongside your cancer treatments. Hospice, on the other hand, is a type of palliative care for people nearing the end of life who are no longer receiving curative treatments. The key takeaway: receiving palliative care doesn’t mean stopping treatment; it means getting extra support.

Focusing on Quality of Life and Symptom Management

The main goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of life for you and your family. A palliative care team—which can include doctors, nurses, and social workers—works with you to manage the physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis. This includes providing relief from symptoms like pain, fatigue, nausea, and anxiety. By addressing these issues, palliative care helps you maintain the strength to continue with your daily activities and tolerate your cancer treatments more effectively. It’s a holistic approach that looks at you as a whole person, not just a diagnosis.

How Palliative Care Complements Your Treatment

Palliative care is not a substitute for your cancer treatment; it’s a partner to it. In fact, it can be provided alongside curative treatment from the moment you’re diagnosed. By effectively managing the side effects of treatments like chemotherapy, the palliative team helps you feel better and stronger. This support can make it easier to stick to your treatment schedule and may even improve your outcomes. It’s an integrated approach that ensures all your needs are met, allowing your oncology team to focus on the cancer while the palliative team focuses on keeping you comfortable.

Understanding Your Prognosis with Stage 4 NSCLC

When you hear the word “prognosis,” it can feel heavy. It’s natural to want to know what to expect, but it’s also important to understand that a prognosis is an educated guess, not a guarantee. It’s your doctor’s best estimate of how your cancer might progress and respond to treatment, based on the experiences of many others. But you are not a statistic. Your journey is your own, and the landscape of lung cancer treatment is changing faster than ever before, offering more hope and options than in the past.

Newer treatments, especially targeted therapies and immunotherapies, are making a significant difference for many people with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This means that statistics you might find online, which are often based on data from several years ago, may not fully reflect the potential of today’s advanced treatments. It’s why focusing on your specific diagnosis and treatment plan is so much more productive than getting lost in general numbers. Think of your prognosis as a starting point for a conversation with your care team—a way to frame your goals and make informed decisions about the path ahead. It’s a dynamic assessment that can change as you respond to therapy and as new medical advancements become available.

What to Know About Survival Rates

It’s easy to get caught up in survival rate statistics, but it’s crucial to view them with the right perspective. For example, older data shows that patients with stage 4 NSCLC treated only with traditional chemotherapy had a 5-year

A survival rate is simply a measure of how many people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive after a certain period, usually five years. It’s an average that can’t predict your individual outcome. Your personal health, specific cancer characteristics, and treatment plan all play a much bigger role.

Factors That Influence Treatment Outcomes

Your prognosis is not based on a single piece of information. Instead, your oncology team considers a wide range of factors to create a treatment plan tailored specifically to you. As the Canadian Cancer Society notes, these plans are made special for each person, based on their unique needs and the specific features of their cancer.

Key factors that guide your treatment and influence your outcome include your overall health, age, and any other medical conditions you may have. Your doctor will also look at the cancer itself—where it has spread and its molecular makeup. How you respond to the initial treatment is another critical piece of the puzzle. All of this information helps your care team adjust your strategy and give you the best possible care.

The Role of Genetics in Your Prognosis

One of the most significant advances in treating NSCLC is our understanding of its genetics. Your prognosis can be greatly influenced by the presence of specific genetic mutations in the cancer cells. Doctors now routinely test for these changes to see if you are a candidate for targeted therapy, a type of treatment that attacks cancer cells with specific mutations while largely sparing healthy cells.

Finding a mutation like EGFR, ALK, or ROS1 can open the door to highly effective treatments that can lead to better outcomes and quality of life. This is why genomic profiling is no longer just an option—it’s a critical step in creating your treatment plan. It gives your doctors the information they need to choose the most effective therapies for your specific cancer.

Exploring Clinical Trials and New Treatments

The world of cancer research is always moving forward, with scientists and doctors constantly working to find better ways to treat NSCLC. This continuous effort means that new treatments and strategies are always on the horizon. For patients, this translates into more options and more hope. Exploring clinical trials and staying informed about new therapies can open doors to the very latest in cancer care, giving you access to treatments that are shaping the future of oncology. It’s an important conversation to have with your care team as you map out your treatment journey.

How to Access Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies that test new medical approaches in people. They are a fundamental part of developing new and better treatments. For patients with stage 4 NSCLC, trials can be a powerful option. According to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, “Clinical trials are always an option to explore new and experimental treatments.” Participating in a trial can give you access to cutting-edge therapies that aren’t yet widely available. The first step is always to talk to your doctor. Ask them directly if there are any clinical trials that could be a good fit for your specific diagnosis, genetic markers, and treatment history. They can help you understand the potential benefits and risks and guide you to the right opportunities.

New Developments in Combination Therapy

Sometimes, using two or more treatments together can be more effective than using just one. This is called combination therapy, and it’s becoming a cornerstone of advanced lung cancer care. By attacking cancer cells in different ways at the same time, these combinations can often produce better results. For example, research shows that a “combination therapy with docetaxel + ramucirumab has demonstrated higher response rates and a modest but significant overall survival benefit over docetaxel alone.” This is just one instance of how researchers are finding powerful new synergies between existing and new drugs, leading to improved outcomes for patients with advanced NSCLC.

The Future of Personalized Medicine

The most exciting frontier in cancer treatment is the move toward truly personalized medicine. Instead of a one-size-fits-all approach, your treatment can be tailored to the specific genetic makeup of your cancer. This is where targeted therapy and immunotherapy really shine. As researchers have noted, these treatments “have significantly improved the survival of patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).” These advancements in therapeutic strategies represent a major shift toward smarter, more effective care. By understanding the unique drivers of your cancer, your oncology team can select therapies that are most likely to work for you, leading to better results and often, fewer side effects.

How to Build Your Care Team

Facing a stage 4 NSCLC diagnosis means you’ll be interacting with many different healthcare professionals. Think of them as your personal team of experts, with you as the most important member. Building this team and ensuring they work together is a crucial part of your care. Your team will likely include your primary oncologist, but it can also involve surgeons, radiologists, palliative care specialists, and nurses. The goal is to create a circle of support where everyone is focused on a comprehensive treatment plan designed just for you. When your specialists collaborate, you get the benefit of their combined expertise, which can lead to better, more personalized care.

Collaborating with Your Oncology Specialists

A strong treatment plan often comes from a team of doctors who work together. This is sometimes called a multidisciplinary approach, which just means you have different kinds of specialists in your corner. Your team might include a medical oncologist who manages your targeted therapy or chemotherapy, a radiation oncologist for radiation treatments, and perhaps a thoracic surgeon. According to the American Cancer Society, this team-based strategy helps ensure that every angle of your health is considered. These experts will share information and insights to create a treatment plan that is tailored to your specific cancer and your personal health goals.

Coordinating Care with Different Providers

With multiple specialists involved, making sure everyone is on the same page is key. Your healthcare team should work with you to map out a plan that fits your unique situation. This coordination is vital for sequencing treatments correctly and managing side effects effectively. For example, your medical oncologist and radiation oncologist will need to coordinate if you’re receiving chemotherapy and radiation at the same time. The Canadian Cancer Society highlights that your team’s collaboration is central to developing the right treatments for stage 4 NSCLC. Don’t hesitate to ask how your doctors are communicating with each other to ensure your care is seamless.

Finding Support and Advocacy Resources

Your care team extends beyond your doctors. It also includes resources that support your quality of life. Palliative care, for instance, is a specialized type of care focused on relieving symptoms and stress, and it can be part of your treatment from the very beginning. It’s about making you feel more comfortable, not about stopping treatment. Additionally, you can ask your doctor about clinical trials, which test new treatments and may give you access to cutting-edge options. Support groups, patient advocates, and digital health tools can also provide invaluable emotional support and help you manage your health information.

Related Articles

• Stage 4 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Life Expectancy with Treatment – Outcomes4Me
• Stage 4 Lung Cancer Life Expectancy: Factors & Treatment Options
• Stage 4 Lung Cancer Life Expectancy Without Treatment: Survival Rate
• What does it mean when stage 4 lung cancer is treatable but not curable? | Outcomes4Me Community
• Stage 3 Lung Cancer Survival Rates: With & Without Treatment

Frequently Asked Questions

My diagnosis is Stage 4. What is the most important first step I should take with my doctor? Your most critical first step is to talk with your oncologist about comprehensive biomarker testing, also known as genetic or genomic testing. This isn’t about the genes you were born with, but about finding the specific genetic mutations inside the tumor that are making it grow. The results of these tests are essential for creating your personalized treatment plan and will determine if you are a candidate for highly effective targeted therapies or immunotherapy.

Does receiving palliative care mean I’m stopping my cancer treatment? Not at all. This is a common misconception, but palliative care and hospice are two very different things. Palliative care is an extra layer of support that you can receive from the moment of diagnosis, right alongside your cancer treatments like chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Its goal is to manage symptoms, relieve stress, and improve your overall quality of life so you can feel stronger and better tolerate your primary treatments.

With so many treatments available, how will my doctor choose the right one for me? Your doctor will create a personalized strategy by looking at several key factors. The most important is the genetic makeup of your tumor, which is found through biomarker testing. They will also consider where the cancer has spread, your overall health and fitness level, and your personal preferences. This information allows your care team to select the therapies—or combination of therapies—that are most likely to be effective for your specific cancer.

The survival statistics I see online are discouraging. How should I interpret them? It’s important to remember that survival statistics are averages based on data from thousands of people, often from several years ago. They can’t predict your individual journey. Cancer treatment, especially for NSCLC, has advanced dramatically with the development of targeted therapies and immunotherapies. These newer treatments are not always reflected in older data. The most helpful approach is to focus on your specific diagnosis and the treatment plan you create with your care team.

How can I best manage my quality of life while undergoing treatment? Maintaining your quality of life is a central part of your care. The most effective strategy is to communicate openly and frequently with your healthcare team about any side effects you’re experiencing, no matter how minor they seem. Your team has many tools to help manage symptoms like fatigue or nausea. Additionally, incorporating palliative care early on can provide specialized support to help you feel your best physically and emotionally throughout your treatment.