• Stages I and II: Chemotherapy may be added to surgical treatment to prevent cancer recurrence.
• Stage III: Chemotherapy is often used alone or with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), either before or after surgery.
• Stage IV: Whether chemotherapy is used depends on the patient’s overall health and cancer characteristics, including genetic mutations.

Patients diagnosed with stage IV NSCLC may be offered various chemotherapy options, including:

• Combination chemotherapy
• Combination chemotherapy and targeted therapy with a monoclonal antibody
• Chemotherapy alongside immunotherapy

Following treatment, the healthcare team may recommend maintenance or second-line therapies based on the patient’s health and response. Maintenance treatments may include the same or different chemotherapy regimens or adopting a “watch and wait” strategy. The aim of maintenance therapy is to prevent cancer growth, with patients remaining on it as long as the cancer remains under control.