What is stage IV lung cancer?

In stage IV lung cancer, the disease spreads to another part of the body, according to CancerCare. This stage includes growth of cancer cells in another lung or areas around the lungs or other organs in the body. Stage IV is the last stage in non-small cell lung cancer.

Treatment during stage IV lung cancer is difficult due to the dispersion of the disease, explains the American Cancer Society. Usually the cancer spreads to more than one other place in the body in stage IV. Possible treatment options include chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, prescription drugs and clinical trials of new treatments. Treatment options depend on the health status of the individual patient.