Lung Cancer Management: A Comprehensive Review with Special Focus on Natural Remedies and Bioactive Compounds

Lung cancer is a significant global health concern, accounting for a substantial proportion of cancer-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the epidemiology, histopathological sub types, staging systems, and standard therapeutic approaches- including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy- used in the management of lung cancer. Additionally, it highlights the emerging interest in natural remedies and bioactive natural products, such as alkaloids, phenolic compounds, sulfur-containing compounds, and terpenoids, which have demonstrated promising anticancer activities through various mechanisms, including apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, immune modulation, and signalling pathway inhibition. Traditional medical systems such as Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine are also discussed for their contributions to complementary and integrative therapeutic strategies. Despite these advancements, challenges such as therapeutic resistance, metastasis, and treatment-related toxicities persist. The review concludes by underscoring the importance of rigorous clinical validation, standardization, and translational research to fully harness the therapeutic potential of natural compounds and optimize integrative treatment paradigms in lung cancer care. Major Findings: Bioactive natural compounds from diverse chemical classes demonstrate multi-target anticancer activities, while traditional medicine systems provide valuable complementary approaches. Integration of these into conventional therapy may improve lung cancer treatment outcomes.