Background: Lung cancer is the most common cause of death among all types of cancer in Germany, with an annual death rate of 45 000 patients. Over the past 15 years, innovations in diagnosis and treatment have prolonged the survival of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer in all tumor stages.
Methods: This review of the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer is based on current national and international guidelines, and on prospective trials with the highest possible level of evidence that were retrieved by a selective search of the literature.
Results: Improved outcomes in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (85% of new diagnoses) were achieved with the aid of precise diagnostic techniques, including functional imaging and endobronchial procedures for localized disease stage. Contemporary surgical and radio-oncological technologies reduce the morbidity and expand the boundaries of local therapy. Molecular pathology, including the assessment of predictive biomarkers, is an integral part of the diagnostic evaluation of non-small-cell lung cancer in all tumor stages; it enables stratified cytotoxic/molecularly targeted treatments and immunotherapies and improves patient-reported outcomes. The percentage of long-term survivors in the metastatic stage has doubled by the introduction of immunotherapy. In contrast, there has been no major improvement in the survival of patients with small-cell lung cancer (15% of new diagnoses).
Conclusion: In addition to the implementation of lung cancer screening in high-risk populations, the further development and consistent implementation of personalized diagnosis and treatment in certified lung cancer centers can be expected to prolong survival and improve the patients' quality of life.