Survival Rates For Lung Cancer
Remember that survival rates are only statistics and they do not always give an accurate estimate of how long any individual will survive with a certain type of cancer. There are always many factors that affect cancer survival rates, including your general health, sex, mindset, race, what treatments are being used, and for people who smoke, whether they are able to quit or not. Survival rates pertain to how many people are still living with a certain disease after a determined amount of time. For example, a 5-year survival rate of 60% means that 60% of people, or 60 out of 100 people, will still be alive after 5 years.
- Small Cell Lung Cancer: The 5-year survival rate for this type of cancer, for both stages, only averages to about 6%.
- Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: The 5-year survival rate for this type of cancer, with all stages combined, will average to about 15%.
- BAC (Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma): This form of cancer has a higher survival rate than with other types of lung cancer. BAC rates can increase if it is caught early and only one or two tumors are exist. The 5-year survival rate for this form of cancer, in both stages 3 and 4, holds an average of 60%.
The stages of Lung Cancer can also determine the progression of the disease, the survival rate, and what treatments may still be available. The stages are different in each type of cancer, and can be determined by a physician.
Small Cell Lung Cancer is divided into two stages. Limited Stage and Extensive Stage.
- In limited stage, the 5-year survival rate (both stages of small cell cancer combined) only averages up to 6%, due to the aggression of this form.
- In extensive stage, the average life expectancy varies with treatment, 2 - 4 months without, and 6 - 12 months with it.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer is divided into 4 stages.
- Stage 1: The 5-year survival rate is 60-80%.
- Stage 2: The 5-year survival rate is 40-50%.
- Stage 3A: The 5-year survival rate is 23%.
- Stage 3B: The 5-year survival rate is only 10%. The median survival time with treatment is 13 months.
- Stage 4: The 5-year survival rate is reportedly less than 10%. The median survival time is about 8 months.
Lung cancer is now the leading killer of all types of cancer in both men and women in the United States. Lung cancer is known to cause the highest fatality rate. Colon, breast and prostate cancers combined do not match the number of deaths from lung cancer. Blacks are more likely to contract lung cancer than any other race, and men are at a higher risk than women.
The prognosis of any type of Cancer certainly depends upon the stage and treatments given. Every individual is different and everyone should speak to their medical physician about what their condition is. Have a complete understanding of any treatments that are available, and what the average outcomes of those treatments can be.
