How long do lung cancers live without treatment? How long do people live with lung cancer?

You can find out from the surgeon after the operation or during the examination in the clinic. Many patients want to know how long they live with lung cancer, depending on the stage of the disease they have. Usually it all depends on the method of treating a person, the degree of lung damage, the age of the patient.

If for some reason the patient is not provided with medical care for 2 years from the moment the disease was diagnosed, then the life expectancy for lung cancer in such a person is sharply reduced, since after that more than 89% of such people die after 5 years.
If a surgical operation is defined as a method of therapy without using other methods of curing a patient, then the average human survival for 5 years after surgery is no more than 30%.

If combined therapy is carried out in people with the first stage of lung sac damage by a tumor, then many 81% of such patients will live for more than 5 years. Using these methods, almost 44% of patients live for more than 5 years at stage 2 of the disease, and only 18 can survive with stage 3 %.

The use of radiation therapy or allows you to increase the result of 5-year survival, which reaches almost 10% of the mark. This is the result at different stages of the lesion on the lung.

Combined treatment can give an increase in the number of surviving people up to 30-40% during the first 5 years after the diagnosis of the disease.

The prognosis for patients who have metastases that have penetrated into the regional lymph nodes is sharply worsened.

If lung surgery is performed, then the survival rate for lung cancer, according to medical statistics, is as follows:

  1. If the patient was diagnosed with stage 1 cancer, then 5 years after the operation, 68-72% of such patients will remain alive. This figure practically does not change depending on the type of cancer that affected the lung.
  2. If a person had symptoms of a cancerous tumor of the 2nd degree with a non-small cell type of the disease, then after surgery for 5 years, 41% of such people remain alive.
  3. If a patient has symptoms and signs of stage 3 cancer that has taken possession of one lung, then after surgery the prognosis will be favorable only for 22% of people.

The use of only a surgical method for curing a patient occurs when one lung sac is affected, there are no metastases, and the tumor is clearly fixed by X-ray and ultrasound equipment.

Prognosis in case of impossibility of surgical intervention

To absolute prohibitions on the operation, consider the mass spread of the process, metastases in the lymph nodes, internal organs, liver, kidney and pleural tissues. Relative prohibitions include conditions related to the health of the patient: insufficient heart function, organic anomalies of the heart muscle, arterial hypertension of the third stage, respiratory failure, general exhaustion of the body, liver or kidney failure.

This type of cancer gives patients a chance for a five-year survival after chemotherapy and radiation exposure.

For a patient who has been diagnosed, how long you can live, most often depends on the quality of the proposed therapeutic measures. The use of a combined method of treatment helps to dramatically increase the life expectancy of people who have undergone surgery. If you do not take into account the stage that the patient has, then after surgery the number of people with a 5-year survival ranges from 24 to 28%. But if you use a combination of surgery with chemotherapy or radiation therapy, then the survival prognosis for patients can increase up to 36%.

But you need to know that such an increase in survival does not occur when using combined methods of fighting cancer if a person is diagnosed with stage 1 or 2 of the disease.

Combinations such as radiation therapy before surgery followed by surgery, chemotherapy and then surgery are used. The surgeon can work first, and then radiation or chemical therapy will be prescribed. Doctors do not have standardization in this matter, since everything depends on the form of the tumor, its prevalence. It all depends on how far the patient's condition allows the use of any type of therapy, etc.

For example, if a patient is diagnosed with a squamous form of the lesion, there are metastases in the lymph nodes at the root of the lung, symptoms of the mediastinum, then a single surgical operation will give practically nothing. But if such a patient is given radiation therapy or chemotherapy beforehand, and then a surgical operation is performed after 10 days, then the survival rate of a person increases dramatically.

If a person is diagnosed with a squamous cell tumor at an early stage, then in the treatment of this type of cancer, doctors manage to get good results, since the survival rate is up to 50-70% over 5 years after therapy.

Non-small cell cancer develops rather slowly. Therefore, it can be successfully treated with surgery. Symptoms of this type of lesion appear quite late, when metastases have already grown into the lymph nodes, this dramatically reduces the patient's chances of survival. If the disease could not be detected in the first stages, then the patient will live after the operation from 6 to 12 months.

If symptoms of adenocarcinoma (a private form of non-small cell lesion) are detected on late term development of the disease, then after treatment for 5 years, no more than 9-11% of people live. The manifestation of symptoms of a squamous cell carcinoma almost always leads to the development of metastases. This dramatically reduces the effectiveness of therapeutic therapy.

Only up to 14-16% of patients can live with such symptoms for 5 years. But these results can only be achieved by diagnosing the disease at an early stage and timely high-quality treatment. If a person has a 3 degree of damage, then with normal treatment, from 1/5 to ¼ of all patients will survive for 2-3 years. It's all about the size of the tumor, which in such a period has a diameter of 5 to 8 cm. At the same time, metastases already penetrate into the bone structures of the patient's skeleton, affecting organs adjacent to the lung sacs.

If the tumor is not small cell, then the prognosis is usually disappointing. Surgery carried out only in the absence of metastases. If they appear, then a person has practically no chance of living 5 years after therapy. With stage 3 of this type of tumor, surgery helps only in 19% of cases.

This type of cancer is considered the most aggressive. It rapidly captures almost the entire body of the patient. The use of combined methods of therapy gives a delay to the patient in 5-6 months of life. The main survival prognosis for small cell lung sac tumors is poor. According to statistics, only 4% of patients can live after medical procedures for 5 years or more. Most patients die 4-6 months after the diagnosis of such a tumor formation.

To date, many new drugs have been developed that can be used to combat. Most of these drugs are commonly used in chemotherapy. But success does not always come, since the effect of drugs on the tumor depends on many factors that are difficult to take into account.

There is a group of patients who have a so-called "sensitive" recurrence in this tumor. In such patients, a pronounced effect of 1 application of chemotherapy is recorded. For 90 days after the end of treatment, the disease does not progress. Such people can live from 2 to 5 years after treatment.

Another group of people has a refractory relapse. Their tumor growth continues during chemotherapy. This trend is also observed within 3 months after the end of the procedures. For such patients, the survival prognosis is unfavorable, since they usually live another 3-6 months after a course of therapy.

Summarizing

The ability to survive after receiving a disappointing diagnosis remains an individual indicator for each sick person. Some patients manage to live from 10 to 15 years, for others the deadline is 2-4 months. Medical professionals argue that there are certain factors on which the survival rate of cancer patients with lung damage depends entirely:

  1. Timely and complete diagnosis - the number of chances for a long life depends on the speed of determining the pathological process. If atypical lesions were registered at the stage of widespread metastasis, then the probability of survival does not exceed 15-20% for one year and 5-8% for the next five years.
  2. The degree of development of the tumor-like process - at the initial stages, survival rates reach 80%. If a full treatment was carried out, excision of a fragment or a whole lung, then the marks increase to 90%. At the final stage of the disease, the numbers drop sharply to 8-10%.
  3. The age of the patient plays an important role in the ability to live on for cancer patients. A young, strong organism with sufficient functionality of the autoimmune system lives much longer than elderly patients.

Cancer damage to the lung tissue experts refer to the most complex and dangerous variants of oncological processes. Much depends on the desire of the patient himself: the correct psychological state, the absence of negative and gloomy thoughts, the implementation of all the recommendations prescribed by the attending physician will increase not only the duration, but also the level of quality of life.

If a lung tumor was detected at stages 1-2, the patient has a chance, since effective maintenance therapy can be carried out. The survival prognosis also depends on the type of cancer. If it is a squamous cell tumor, the life of the patient may be at risk. Let's analyze how many live with lung cancer, and what factors affect the prognosis of a patient's life with such a diagnosis.

Symptoms of an aggressive course of cancer

A lung tumor is a malignant lesion of one or two lobes of the lungs. Initial symptoms are manifested with respiratory failure, general malaise. Patients complain of chest pain, shortness of breath, and persistent cough. Further, with a cough, exudate with mucus comes out, then blood joins the mucus. The moment of nocturnal awakenings due to coughing should be considered dangerous.

If a tumor of the first or second degree is detected, surgical treatment is performed, which increases life expectancy. But this is not the main factor. Cancer in its early stages can be treated with strong anticancer therapy. This is a chemotherapy course, radiotherapy and radiation therapy. At an early stage of progression, the tumor is almost never detected, since it is not accompanied by specific symptoms. But a person who undergoes a regular medical examination can avoid a terrible prognosis.

A tumor of the third degree can reach 6 centimeters, there is a transition of cancer cells to neighboring lobes of the lung, and metastasis also begins. At the same time, people lose a lot of weight, bones and the circulatory system are affected. The body begins to gradually die.

Patients admitted to treatment with asymptomatic oncology are more likely to live up to 5 years than a patient with severe symptoms.

Average life expectancy after treatment

In 20% of cancer patients after diagnosis, life expectancy is less than a year. And only 9% of patients can live up to five years.

  1. Cancer diagnosed in the first stage leads to the death of 40% of patients within one year.
  2. Diagnosed at the second stage, only 20% of patients give a favorable prognosis.
  3. Launched small cell cancer within a year after diagnosis kills 97% of patients.

X-ray for lung cancer

This is a disappointing statistic, but the disease ranks first in terms of mortality among cancer patients in 35 countries around the world.

In the fourth stage of limited small cell cancer after a course of chemotherapy treatment, the prognosis for survival is up to 12%. Advanced squamous cell carcinoma leads to death within a few months. All this time, a person suffers from terrible pain. Neurological and brain symptoms join. The cause of death is often pulmonary edema.

Small cell cancer prognosis

Small cell cancer is more common among smokers and is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. A smoker is also at risk for the reason that cough is not perceived by him as a symptom of the disease. The disease progresses imperceptibly, symptoms may not appear, but the tumor grows rapidly. In a short time, cancer passes from one stage to another and there is no chance for a full-fledged treatment.

The first stage of squamous cell carcinoma - at this stage, chemotherapy can still be performed, and the prognosis can be improved. But if the first or second stage of cancer is characterized by the release of the tumor beyond the lung, the prognosis is disappointing.

If the method of chemotherapy was able to stop the growth of the tumor, you can increase the prognosis of the patient's life. The third stage without metastasis is amenable to conservative therapy followed by surgical removal of the focus.

After removal of a tumor of the first or second degree, the patient has every chance of a five-year survival compared to inoperable patients.

The last stage can be manifested by shortness of breath, severe coughing, weight loss, mental disorders. At this stage, only drug therapy can be carried out, and only in isolated cases is a palliative operation performed to improve the patient's condition.

During the entire period of tumor growth, one can observe fever, pain in the chest and metastasizing organ, and weakness. On the x-ray, the wine is a malignant tumor with clear or blurred edges. Ultrasound is performed to detect metastases, after which the oncologist can already make a prognosis.

The last stage of malignant growth is a fatal diagnosis for 99% of patients. 1% are people who, for reasons inexplicable in medicine, were able to overcome death on their own, and live a full life for a few more years.

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How long can you live with lung cancer?

When posing the problem: “Lung cancer: how long can you live?” the specific subtype of the disease and its prevalence are important. It can be localized in one area or expand to the lymphatic system and other organs.

The prognosis of survival also depends on such aspects:

  • the stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis;
  • the rate of growth of a malignant disease;
  • age and general health;
  • disease response to treatment options;
  • primary or secondary is the disease;
  • whether metastases are present.

Types of malignant lung diseases

Two main types of pulmonary oncological process have been identified:

1. Non-small cell malignant lung disease:

It accounts for 85% to 90% of all cases. Subspecies are represented:

  • adenocarcinoma - a form of lung tumor that occurs most often;
  • squamous cell oncology, which is localized in the lining of the lungs;
  • large carcinomas, or undifferentiated, are an intermediate option between adenocarcinoma and epidermoid cancer. They represent only 5% of all cases;

2. small cell lung cancer:

As a rule, it is caused by smoking and makes up % of the entire malignant lung process. It occurs very rarely and can spread quickly.

Mesothelioma is a very dangerous type of cancer that results from exposure to asbestos.

How long can you live with central lung cancer?

The survival rate takes into account the percentage of people with a certain type of malignant process and its stage, as well as the time during which the patient remains alive. The statistics are based on the study of large groups of people. However, it should be borne in mind that the prognosis for each person is purely individual.

  1. Small cell lung cancer (limited and extensive) represents an overall 5-year survival rate of only 6%. Without treatment for this lung cancer, a person can live from 2 to 4 months. During treatment - 6-12.
  2. The overall 5-year survival rate for non-small cell cancer at all stages of the disease becomes approximately 18%.
  3. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma represents a much higher 5-year survival rate than the other subtypes. So, for example, if the tumor is at an early stage (less than 3 cm in diameter), the survival rate after surgery is 100%. In more advanced stages, the prognosis varies.

Five-year survival rate for non-small cell lung cancer by stage

It should be understood that not all patients with the same stage will live the same amount of time or only 5 years. The following are only general characteristics of survival:

Stage I The disease is localized directly in the organ and has not left its borders. The overall survival rate is between 45% and 49%.

Stage II. Tumor cells are observed in the lymph nodes near the lungs. Overall statistical survival represents 30-31% of people who will be alive at the end of five years.

Stage III. Lung cancer stage 3: how long can you live? At this stage, the tumor is quite large and has already moved to the lymph nodes of the chest. Depending on the specific location of metastases, sub-stages are distinguished:

3A: The malignant cells are concentrated in the lymph nodes on the same side of the chest where the cancer started. On average, the survival rate becomes 14%;

3B: Oncological lesions are observed on the opposite side from the chest, below or above the collarbone. At such an advanced stage, the statistics represent very low rates - only 5%. In this case, the average life expectancy with treatment is 13 months.

Stage IV. Lung cancer (how long you can live) 4 stages. The overall 5-year life expectancy rate for people with stage 4 becomes only 1%. The median survival is about 8 months.

Unfortunately, most cancers are found in stage 3 or 4. In this regard, the overall survival from the moment of diagnosis of the disease is only 16%.

How long can you live after the operation?

Cancer survival of patients after surgery in most cases depends on the stage and subsequent therapy. During the operation, all tissues affected by the cancerous process are removed. However, the doctor cannot guarantee that they are no longer left in the body.

To prolong life, doctors use the following methods:

  1. Chemotherapy, which allows you to destroy cancer cells. The preparations are presented by Cisplastin (th) and Paclitaxel (th).
  2. Radiation affecting oncological tissues with the help of intense energy.
  3. Targeted drug therapy is one of the newest methods of fighting the cancer process. With this method of treatment, medications are used that target specific abnormalities in malignant cells. Among them stand out:
  • bevacizumab (Avastin), which stops the tumor from creating a new blood supply;
  • erlotinib ("Tarceva"), blocking the reproduction of tumor cells.

Lung cancer: how long can you live with metastases?

Studies show that patients who take additional therapy after surgery live significantly longer than those who do not use all the treatments.

Therefore, a person with metastases, with adequate treatment, can live much longer than the statistics for stage 4 cancer, if, in addition to traditional methods, he also uses alternative treatment, in particular, stimulation of the body's immune system. For this, agents are used that restore human defenses, their ability to resist the malignant process, and also prevent the formation of a new tumor blood flow.

Given all the modern methods of cancer treatment, we can say that the question "Lung cancer: how long can you live?" is purely individual and depends on the specific case. Neither statistics nor the best experts are able to give an unambiguous and accurate answer. There are only guesses.

It is important to know:

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The survival rate of advanced cancer patients would be much higher if doctors did not dismiss them and delay treatment after diagnosis.

And it is very important: having received this diagnosis in your hands, you cannot leave the patient and his relatives alone with their problem. It is very necessary for them at this moment to explain what they are facing.

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The information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! It is not recommended to use the described methods and recipes for the treatment of cancer on your own and without consulting a doctor!

How long do people live with lung cancer

Lung cancer is the most common cancer in the world. Despite the efforts of doctors and scientists who are constantly working to improve existing methods of therapy and create new ones, mortality from neoplasms in the lungs continues to be one of the highest.

The prognosis for lung cancer directly depends on the timely detection of the first signs of the disease and the timely treatment started, but often the pathology can be diagnosed only in the later stages of its development.

Consider the prognosis of survival for each stage of the disease.

  • All information on the site is for informational purposes and is NOT a guide to action!
  • Only a DOCTOR can make an EXACT DIAGNOSIS!
  • We kindly ask you DO NOT self-medicate, but make an appointment with a specialist!
  • Health to you and your loved ones! Do not give up

At stage 1

In the first stage, it is very difficult to independently detect lung cancer. Almost always, the disease proceeds latently, without showing symptoms. Sometimes patients are bothered by an unobtrusive cough, which is easy to mistake for a common cold and the effects of smoking.

The size of a malignant tumor at this stage is from 3 to 5 cm. The neoplasm does not spread beyond the epithelial tissue of the bronchi. Deep penetration into the bronchi and damage to the lymph nodes does not occur.

At stage 1, cancer can only be recognized in 15% of all patients. This usually happens during regular medical check-ups.

You can diagnose a tumor at an early stage using:

  • chest fluorography;
  • radiography;
  • bronchoscopy (if suspicious formations are found in the bronchi, a biopsy is done at the same time);
  • laboratory analysis of sputum secreted by coughing for the presence of atypical cells;
  • computed tomography.

For heavy smokers, as well as people working in hazardous industries and genetically predisposed to cancer, doctors recommend undergoing diagnostic procedures annually.

The prognosis of 5-year survival for treatment started at stage 1 cancer is about 70-80%. The age of the patient matters the physical state, the presence of concomitant diseases, a type of cancer.

Everything about stage 4 lung cancer is here.

At stage 2

In the second stage, the tumor increases in size and gradually begins to penetrate into neighboring tissues. The defeat of the lymph nodes is rare, there are no metastases, but the process of spreading cancer cells has already started.

Symptoms at this stage are more pronounced - the patient may be tormented by coughing, periodic chest pains, aggravated by deep inspiration, shortness of breath, wheezing when breathing. The speed of the process depends on the body's resistance: in younger patients, the initial stages of the disease take longer.

The prognosis for survival in non-small cell lung of the second degree is about 38-45%, subject to competent treatment and full rehabilitation.

At stage 3

Grade 3 lung cancer is characterized by multiple lesions of the lymphatic system and involvement in the pathological process of the pleural cavity, sternum wall and other nearby tissues.

The tumor metastasizes, cancer cells penetrate the heart, esophagus, trachea, blood vessels. Symptoms become more and more serious, concomitant diseases may occur - pleurisy, inflammatory processes in the lungs.

Patients lose weight, experience shortness of breath, they progress to hemoptysis or coughing up pus. The answer to the question "how long do they live with metastases in lung cancer?" depends on many factors - age, the state of immunity of the patient, the intensity of treatment.

Treatment at this stage is combined. Surgery is usually combined with radiation and drug therapy. The goal of treatment is to stop the spread of metastases. The chances of survival within 5 years are significantly reduced. At the third stage, they are equal to 13% -25%.

At stage 4

The final stage of cancer has the most severe and painful course. Complete cure of patients (without subsequent remission) at this stage is extremely rare. Metastases affect the liver, bones, brain, and kidney tissue.

The life expectancy of patients with metastases to the liver, kidneys or heart does not exceed several months. In general, the five-year survival rate of patients after reaching stage 4 cancer does not exceed 9-13%.

This article describes the prognosis for central cancer of the left lung.

Treatment of stage 3 lung cancer requires the right approach from doctors. Read more here.

How long do people live with small cell lung cancer?

Small cell carcinoma is the most aggressive form of malignant neoplasms that develop in the respiratory system. After the diagnosis is made within 4-5 months, as a rule, every second patient dies. A cancerous tumor spreads through the circulatory system and lymph very quickly, and sometimes even timely treatment cannot prevent the malignant process.

The 5-year survival rate for small cell cancer is generally about 3%. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can increase life expectancy by several months, but long-term remission in small cell cancer is very unlikely.

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The information on the site is provided for informational purposes only, does not claim to be reference and medical accuracy, and is not a guide to action.

Do not self-medicate. Consult with your physician.

Life expectancy with lung cancer at different stages

Every person who hears a sad diagnosis of lung cancer from a doctor immediately asks the question - how long do they live with such a disease and how much treatment can prolong life? Life expectancy in oncological disease is based on a combination of many factors - the form and stage of the tumor, metastasis.

For each person this question is individual. If one patient manages to live for more than a year, then for another patient this figure can be only 2-4 months. On what factors does the survival rate in respiratory oncology depend?

  • Timeliness of diagnosis - the earlier the diagnosis is made, the greater the patient's chances for a long life. If the disease was detected already in the later stages, with pronounced metastasis, the probability of survival during the year is 15-20%, for five years this figure is already 5-8%.
  • The degree of tumor development - at the first stage of the disease, the survival rate is 80%. At the same time, timely treatment and resection of the lung or its fragment can increase this figure to 90%. In the fourth stage, only 8-10% of patients manage to survive.
  • The age of the patient also plays an important role. Young people with a strong body and high immunity can live much longer with lung cancer than the elderly.

Prognosis for lung cancer

Survival for lung cancer depends on the stage of the disease at which the person sought medical help and what kind of treatment was undertaken. And if at the initial stages of lung cancer the prognosis is very favorable, then for the later stages, many of the prognosis is already absolutely disappointing.

In addition, the prognosis for lung cancer also differs depending on the type of cancer. The most aggressive form of the tumor, small cell carcinoma, requires prompt treatment as soon as it is diagnosed. For this, surgical removal of the tumor, the affected fragment of the lung or the entire organ, followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy is used.

Without appropriate treatment, the survival prognosis for small cell cancer is extremely disappointing and is no more than 2-6 months.

Chemotherapy makes it possible to prolong a person's life by about 5 times, since the small-cell form of an oncological tumor is very sensitive to chemotherapy treatment. The average life expectancy during complex treatment can vary from 1 to 5 years. And only 3-5% of patients manage to overcome the five-year regimen.

If a small cell tumor is detected already in the later stages, when metastases occur in other internal organs, the operation becomes impossible. In such cases, people can live from 6 to 12 months.

Non-small cell lung cancer is characterized by an almost complete absence of symptoms in the early stages, which greatly complicates timely diagnosis. As a rule, the disease can be detected already at 3-4 stages. In such cases, even with proper treatment, the average life expectancy of a person is 2-3 years. And only 15% of patients manage to live more than 4-5 years.

Any form of respiratory cancer requires treatment. Without appropriate surgery or therapy, in 90% of cases, a person dies within 2 years.

An important role is given to the level of metastasis and the location of metastases. Single metastases respond well to chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which allow the patient to live for several years longer. Multiple metastases affecting vital organs and systems are practically untreatable.

The liver is most often affected by oncology of the respiratory system. Liver metastasis is accompanied by an extremely unfavorable prognosis - even with ongoing therapy, the maximum life expectancy of such people is 3-6 months.

No less often, a cancerous tumor can metastasize to the skeletal system. With the defeat of the bones, surgical or medical treatment practically does not give any results. In such cases, the main goal of therapy is to relieve pain and prolong the life of the patient as much as possible. But with all the efforts of doctors, usually life expectancy does not exceed 9-12 months.

Survival prognosis for different stages of cancer

A fundamental role in the issue of life expectancy in lung cancer is assigned to the stage of the disease. The most favorable prognosis for people with stage 1 and 2 oncological neoplasms is surgical removal of the tumor with simultaneous chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which can significantly increase the patient's lifespan. In this case, the prognosis of a person's life is only 2-3 years different from a completely healthy person.

  1. Stage 1 of the disease - at this stage, the size of the tumor usually does not exceed 3 cm. The disease is often asymptomatic, and a person often “writes off” a cough, shortness of breath and hoarseness for a cold. Cancer is most often detected quite by accident, during a fluorography. With timely treatment, the prognosis is favorable - 80% of patients manage to overcome the 5-10-year survival threshold. After surgical removal of the affected lung or its fragment, this figure increases to 90-92%.
  2. Stage 2 of the disease - the tumor has a size of 5-6 cm. There may be single metastases to the lymph nodes and other internal organs. Surgical intervention, chemotherapy, carried out at stage 2 of lung cancer, allows you to achieve 45-48% survival.
  3. Stage 3 of a lung tumor is characterized by a further increase in the neoplasm, which already exceeds 6 cm. The disease progresses rapidly, metastases affect not only the lymph nodes, but also the heart, as well as other vital organs. At this stage, the survival rate for non-small cell cancer is 23%, for small cell this figure does not exceed 10-12%.
  4. Stage 4 lung cancer - metastases affect almost all internal organs and systems, the tumor itself goes beyond the lung. Unfortunately, the last stage of lung cancer practically does not coincide with life and leaves a person with only a few months of life.

At stage 4 of the disease, even the most effective and advanced treatment methods are ineffective. Irreversible pathological processes are practically not amenable to any medical control. Human body completely destroyed by cancer. At this stage, treatment is aimed at alleviating the condition of the person and minimizing the manifestations of the disease as much as possible.

The prognosis of 5-year survival for grade 4 lung cancer usually does not exceed 2-5%.

Lung cancer is one of the most severe and dangerous cancers. But in no case should you give up and stop fighting for your life. Appropriate psychological state, fighting spirit, application of various modern methods treatment - all this helps not only to prolong life expectancy, but also to improve its quality.

Everything is written correctly, basically everything is individual. Yes, and in the early stages, cancer is not so dangerous, the most important thing is to diagnose and excise the tumor in time. I know several people who had lung cancer and the situations were opposite, that is, one person died and the other lives safely.

I agree with you, Valery. In the matter of time, a very important factor in solving the problem of lung cancer is an important place in the early diagnosis of the disease. And as you correctly noted, everything is individual. When diagnosing a disease, practicing oncologists pay attention not only to the patient's age, but also to his genetics and the general state of the body's immunity.

My neighbor was diagnosed with lung cancer in May at an early stage, underwent surgery, the tumor was removed, but everything was in vain. A month later, neoplasms reappeared and he died after 4 months. My opinion is that if cancer has settled in the body, it cannot be eradicated, forgive me, those who are ill. I myself survived the death of my mother from cancer and I want humanity to find a solution to this problem.

In January, my father was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer (not the initial stage), they underwent tests in paid clinics to decide on the possibility of an operation, in order not to waste time, they had an operation in February - they removed the lung, after three chemo, now only observation once a year. Everything is curable, the main thing is the struggle, everything is possible! P.s. at the time of the discovery of cancer, I really needed this information that everything could be fine, unfortunately I did not find it, for those like me I am writing this review, everything can be fine, I confirm!

Hello! Please give me your contacts, my father has exactly the same diagnosis as your father, we do not know what to do or write me please wat sape00

My father also has lung cancer. But since it is small-celled, it is therefore inoperable. For a year and 3 months, 8 chemo and 2 radiation treatments were completed. The tumor has decreased in 2 times. I felt good. And even on the background of treatment, metastases in the liver appeared. Several large tumors in the liver. He is now dying of liver cancer. And nothing can be done.

Hello, please tell me where your father had the operation and were there any metastases on other organs?

My relative was cured of the last 4 stages of pancreatic cancer with metastases to other organs, and even to the rib that he was pulled out.

He survived without any chemotherapy. within a year he cured himself.

Hello! Please help us, my father has lung cancer, metastases in the lungs, in the vertebrae and in the chest arm. Cough already with blood stains and shortness of breath. How can we recover, what to do, ask your relative and write down please. Or 57 whatsapp write

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How long can you live with lung cancer and how do people die from it?

Bronchogenic carcinoma (in other words, lung cancer) is a fairly serious disease. The disease is characterized by the occurrence of malignant tumors that develop from the epithelial cells of the bronchi. The disease negatively affects all organs and systems of the human body.

Making a terrible diagnosis immediately raises a lot of questions in the patient. The most common of them is “How long do they live with lung cancer?”. It is not possible to specify the possible life expectancy for lung cancer. It varies based on a large number associated oncology factors.

The essence of pathology

Concentrated in the lung tissue, the disease is expressed not only by the neoplasm. Lung cancer in adults is a whole network of malignant tumors. They may differ in their occurrence, the clinical picture of the problem and the expected prognosis.

Compared with the total number, oncology of this organ is most common. The prognosis for lung cancer is usually poor. Pathology is recognized as the most common cause of death among people with any type of cancer. Males are more susceptible to the disease.

Please note: smokers, as trivial as it may seem, often develop lung cancer.

Causes of death

The more neglected the condition becomes oncology, the more causes of death.

  1. Severe intoxication. This is due to the release of toxins by the tumor, which injure the cells and provoke their necrosis and oxygen starvation.
  2. Sudden weight loss. Wasting can be quite severe (up to 50% of the total weight), as a result of which the body is significantly weakened, increasing the likelihood of death.
  3. Pronounced soreness. It occurs in the process of damage to the pleura of the lung, which is endowed with a large number of nerve endings (which is why pleural cancer appears so easily). The pain syndrome is explained by the germination of the tumor in the pulmonary membrane.
  4. Acute respiratory failure. It occurs when the tumor (due to its size) begins to block the lumen of the bronchus. This makes it difficult for the patient to breathe.
  5. Massive pulmonary hemorrhage. It comes from a lung damaged by a neoplasm.
  6. The formation of secondary foci of oncology. In the later stages of the disease, multiple organ failure develops. Metastasis is one of the most common causes of patient death.

Please note: these phenomena rarely occur separately. Exhaustion, cancer of the pleura and intoxication significantly worsen the general condition of the body, as a result of which a person can live quite a short time.

Pulmonary bleeding

Due to its ever-increasing size, the tumor can injure the circulatory network. The lung tissue contains a number of blood vessels, damage to which causes extensive bleeding. Stopping it is often quite difficult. The patient needs to be provided with high-quality medical care in a timely manner. Otherwise, he will die within 5 minutes after the first symptoms of the pathology appear.

The manifestation of sputum discharge with blood in a patient indicates damage to the wall of one of the vessels. And do not ignore even small inclusions. As soon as the vessel is completely injured, extensive bleeding will not take long.

Sometimes people confuse bleeding from small vessels in terms of symptoms with those in the gastrointestinal tract. Incorrectly selected therapy also leads to death.

Respiratory failure

This pathology begins to develop when an enlarged tumor blocks the lumen of the trachea and bronchi. At first, the patient who received this ailment suffers from shortness of breath and gradually increasing shortness of breath. A little later, asthma attacks are added to the existing symptoms. They can occur repeatedly during the day, at any time, and are not subject to any control by the patient.

As soon as the lumen of the bronchi is completely blocked, the patient loses the ability to breathe. You can try to prepare in advance for this situation. If you do not provide a person with emergency medical care, he will die within 30 minutes.

Metastasis

One of the causes of death Attempts to remove metastases through surgery are fraught with their reappearance at a faster rate. If the cancer spreads to other organs, the patient has no chance of recovery.

The greatest possible danger is brain damage. If a secondary tumor develops, which will be concentrated in this area, it will not be possible to prevent a fatal outcome.

Metastases localized in other parts of the body disrupt the functioning of all organs and systems, causing a serious pain syndrome. Usually, such symptoms, which also accelerate the death of the patient, are inherent in small cell cancer.

How long can you live with the disease

The duration of life with this disease is different for each of the patients. The specific period directly depends on the type of cancer, smoking and other factors, on timely diagnosis.

Mortality by stages

Detection of cancer at the initial stage, coupled with correctly selected therapy, can prolong the patient's life for up to 10 years.

The second and third stages of the disease are characterized by the occurrence of metastases. Moreover, even the removal of the tumor is not able to save a person from the disease. Lethal outcome occurs in 7-8 years.

Please note: the development of a secondary tumor usually occurs no earlier than 5 years after the onset of the disease. However, do not forget about the cases of earlier occurrence of metastases. The rapid course of the disease significantly reduces the years of life, resulting in death from lung cancer occurs within 3 years.

The advanced stage of the disease will allow the patient to live only a few months (usually 2-3).

Small cell form of the disease (SCLC)

This type of disease is most common in smokers. It is quite aggressive, and metastases spread at lightning speed. How much do you need to smoke in order to get lung cancer? There is no specific answer, because life expectancy depends on the influence of many factors. Sometimes a person lives to a ripe old age without parting with a cigarette. And another by the first year of smoking will face oncology and will not even live to be 30 years old.

To treat the small cell form of pathology at an early stage, doctors usually resort to chemotherapy drugs. However, even with the right therapy, one should not expect a significant positive result. Often, a malignant neoplasm does not respond to the use of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which means that there is a risk of death.

The best option is to alleviate the suffering of the dying.

  • Pain relief.
  • Saturation of the patient's cells with oxygen.
  • Operations that can at least partially improve the quality of life of the patient.

With small cell lung cancer, the life expectancy of the victim will be approximately 4-5 months to 1 year. Such an early death is explained by the severity of the disease and the rapid development of secondary tumors in the lymph nodes and distant organs.

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Non-small cell form

This form of oncology develops much more often than SCLC.

Survival directly depends on the degree of damage to the organ, on the characteristics of histology. During the third stage of the disease, the tumor increases to 8 cm, and metastases spread to the vascular network, organs and bone apparatus. With squamous cell lung cancer, the prognosis is not encouraging: at stage 3, out of 100 people, about 20 survive.

It occurs in 10% of oncology cases. It is usually diagnosed at a rather late stage, when the use of therapeutic measures will no longer bring the desired effect.

The initial symptomatology is the presence of cough, increased fatigue, painful syndrome in the chest.

If metastases have not yet spread, surgery can be applied. Otherwise, it is an inoperable cancer. The late stage of the disease in 85% of cases ends in death.

Non-small cell lung cancer is usually represented by this particular variety. If the secondary tumor has touched the lymph nodes and lung pleura cancer has appeared, the prognosis for recovery is disappointing. In the process of the last stage of the disease, conventional methods of treatment do not bring any result. Of the total number of patients, only 10% can live for about 5 years.

Non-small cell lung cancer develops at an unhurried pace, which, with proper treatment and timely surgery, gives the patient a chance for recovery. Regardless of the form of cancer, women live longer than men.

peripheral form

Peripheral lung cancer is recognized as the most dangerous. Its main difference is the difficulty of detection in the initial stages of the disease.

In its symptoms, pathology is similar to other varieties of the disease. Over time, more and more obvious signs of a particular form of cancer are added.

To determine the location of the tumor, as well as its size and nature, it is necessary to conduct a competent diagnosis. The most common is peripheral cancer of the right lung (or left), which affects the upper lobe of the organ. This variety accounts for about 60% of cases. Such statistics are explained by the anatomical structure of the lungs.

Only thirty cases out of a hundred are peripheral cancer of the left lung, developing in the lower lobe of the organ. Only 10% of the total remains for the middle department.

The main diagnostic method is radiography, although it does not always show an accurate picture. The examination should be carried out in conjunction with CT, MRI and biopsy. You will need to do a detailed blood test.

Only after a thorough examination, the specialist will be able to confirm or refute the diagnosis and prescribe competent therapy. The combination of all actions will help the patient live much longer.

The question that interests all people familiar with this disease is how long they live with lung cancer? This is a serious disease that negatively affects the entire body. Life expectancy in lung cancer depends on a combination of various factors.

Lung cancer is not one tumor, but a large group of malignant tumors that differ from each other, the localization of which has become lung tissue. These tumors can vary in origin, clinical presentation and disease prognosis.

In the group of oncological pathologies, lung cancer is the most common form. If we compare the incidence of the disease among men and women, then the male population suffers from lung cancer much more often.

The same situation is observed in mortality from cancer - lung cancer is the most common cause of death.

Important! No matter how trite it may sound, but such a bad habit as smoking has a negative impact on the risk of developing a tumor of this localization. Numerous studies and experiments confirm that tobacco users, in more at risk of getting lung cancer.

Leading causes of death from lung cancer

With a far advanced stage of the disease, death can occur as a result of severe intoxication of the body. The tumor in the course of its life releases toxic substances that damage all the cells of the body, leading to their oxygen starvation and necrosis.

Sudden weight loss in lung cancer brings death closer

It aggravates the condition of a person and pronounced weight loss. Lung cancer is accompanied by a decrease in body weight up to 50% of the original. Exhaustion of this degree weakens the body and brings death closer.

Severe pain syndrome also causes accelerated death of the patient. If the tumor grows into the lining of the lung - the pleura - there are sharp intense pains in the chest. This is due to the fact that the pleura is rich in nerve endings, the irritation of which leads to pain.

The cause of death from lung cancer may be acute respiratory failure. This condition occurs when the tumor reaches such a size that it blocks the lumen of the bronchus and breathing becomes impossible.

Death also occurs as a result of massive pulmonary bleeding from a vessel affected by a tumor.

Most often, a lethal outcome occurs as a result of tumor metastasis to other organs and the development of multiple organ pathology. This happens already in the later stages of the disease.

Naturally, these reasons do not occur alone. Their combination is always observed, which leads to the death of the patient.

More about causes of death

The combination of such conditions as the strongest pain syndrome, severe intoxication of the body with the products of the vital activity of the tumor, exhaustion, does not in itself lead to death. However, these symptoms aggravate the course of the disease, reduce the resistance of the human body, take vitality, which ultimately accelerates the onset of death.

Death occurs directly from severe pulmonary hemorrhage, respiratory failure and tumor metastasis.

Death from pulmonary hemorrhage

Hemoptysis indicates damage to the vascular wall of the lung

As the tumor grows, it can grow into the walls of blood vessels, of which there are several dozen in the lung tissue. Among them there are also large vessels, when damaged, massive bleeding develops. Bleeding from the pulmonary vessels is very difficult to stop. If no assistance is provided, a person dies 5 minutes after the onset of bleeding symptoms.

Damage to the vascular wall can be suspected when hemoptysis occurs. The presence of even small streaks of blood in the sputum suggests that after a while, when the vessel wall is completely destroyed, profuse bleeding will develop.

Bleeding from small vessels can mimic the symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding, and death also occurs as a result of improper treatment.

Death from respiratory failure

The tumor grows and gradually blocks the lumen of the bronchi, and sometimes the trachea. In this case, symptoms of respiratory failure develop. Naturally, its manifestations do not immediately lead to death. It all starts with difficulty breathing, the appearance of shortness of breath, which gradually increases. Then there are asthma attacks that occur at any time of the day.

When the lumen of the bronchi is completely blocked, breathing becomes impossible. However, one can prepare for such a state and provide the necessary measures in advance: failure to provide emergency assistance will lead to the fact that a person will die within half an hour.

The most dangerous metastases are in the brain

This is also the case when death comes gradually. Unfortunately, it is not possible to help a person with this. Distant metastases are inoperable; moreover, if they are removed, they will begin to appear even faster and capture other organs.

The most dangerous are brain metastases. The localization of a secondary tumor in the area of ​​the centers of regulation of the vital functions of the body leads to inevitable death.

Metastases of other localizations also accelerate the onset of death by disrupting the functions of organs and causing severe pain. This is especially true for small cell carcinoma metastases.

What is the life expectancy with the disease

The lifespan of a person depends on many factors. It is impossible to say exactly how long patients with a lung tumor will live. For each life expectancy is determined individually.

The issue of life expectancy depends entirely on the timeliness of diagnosis and treatment. Timely recognized disease (at the first stage) and properly performed treatment can extend the life of the patient up to ten years.

Metastases begin to appear about five years after the onset of the disease. However, there are exceptions, with a lightning-fast course of the disease. In this case, life expectancy is sharply reduced and is about three years.

For small cell cancer

When diagnosed with small cell cancer, a person dies after 5-6 months, since this type of tumor is the most severe and quickly metastasizes. Even carrying out adequate therapy does not always have a positive effect. The tumor may not respond to either radiation therapy or chemotherapy.

By stages

  • On average, with the first stage of the disease and timely treatment, life expectancy can be calculated in tens of years.
  • The second and third stages are already characterized by the presence of metastases, so even if the tumor is removed, the person dies after 7-8 years.
  • Well, the fourth stage, the most neglected - the life span can be limited to months.

Quick death - how do they die with lung cancer? What life expectancy can a person suffering from a lung tumor expect. The main factors on which the life span depends.

Lung cancer is a very difficult disease in terms of diagnosis, since visible symptoms appear only in the later stages of the disease. The life expectancy of a patient with this type of cancer depends on many factors.

For any person, the diagnosis of lung cancer will be a real blow. How long they live with it depends on the strength of the body, so even if such a diagnosis is made, you should not panic. There are cases where people with lung cancer lived long enough before the disease took its toll.

Considering the question of how long they live with lung cancer, it must be recognized that much depends on what kind of cancer was detected in the patient. For example, peripheral cancer of one of the lobes of the lung can last more than 10 years. Such a long course of the disease does not go unnoticed, but still the existing symptoms are not too remarkable and do not let the patient know that he has such a serious illness fluttering. How long people live with lung cancer of this type depends on the stage at which it was discovered, because at earlier stages, cancer is better treated. In this case, the first stage only marks the beginning of deformation processes in the lung, while comorbidities, for example, eczema or pneumosclerosis, may appear in the second and third stages.

At the fourth stage, the formation of metastases and damage to other organs occurs. It is noteworthy that in most cases, patients with this form of cancer for almost the entire period of the disease can lead a normal life without experiencing obvious discomfort. Even the fourth inoperable stage of this type of cancer can last more than 2 years. As a rule, at the very end, patients lose a lot of weight, lose their motor ability, but, in comparison with other types of cancer, they die without experiencing severe pain. As a rule, in the fourth stage of cancer, metastases occur in all vital organs, as well as in the lymph nodes.

Patients with peripheral lung cancer can live 8 years even without treatment, although there have been cases when a person with this type of cancer lived for 18 years and at the same time, he was not provided with medical care. Of course, it is impossible to get rid of the disease without treatment, and treatment should not be delayed, as this reduces the chance of success. In the event that peripheral lung cancer was detected at stages 1-3 of development, it is possible to perform an operation to remove the affected part of the lung, this gives a 70% survival rate and the ability to permanently get rid of the disease, although relapses are not excluded. In principle, even if lung cancer has developed, how long people live with this disease will, for the most part, depend on the quality and timeliness of the provision of medical treatment. Timely X-rays can help detect this type of cancer at an early stage.

Small cell lung cancer is a completely different matter; according to statistics, they live with it after diagnosis for no more than 10 months. The thing is that small cell lung cancer is considered the most aggressive and in the last stages of development is not treatable at all. Only about 35% of patients with proper treatment live more than 5 years. Treatment of this disease is possible only in the early stages, when there are practically no symptoms of the development of the disease, which greatly complicates the diagnosis.

In fact, patients with small cell lung cancer live for about two years from the onset of the disease. The disease proceeds almost asymptomatically and painlessly, and only at the 4th stage, when the deformation of the lung tissues reaches the pleura, and metastases begin to form, painful sensations appear. With such lung cancer, the life of the patient, as a rule, is left to chance, because basically patients die not from cancer, but from the formation of blood clots in the pulmonary arteries, blockage of the pulmonary artery in small cell lung cancer inevitably leads to pulmonary embolism. With this development of events, the patient dies in a matter of seconds and resuscitation is usually useless.

Many patients who still have hope for a cure are primarily interested in how long they live after cancer, because the patient will have to make a responsible decision - to undergo painful treatment, which may be ineffective and live the rest of the time without discomfort or try to extend his life. Treatment is really a great chance to prolong the life of a lung cancer patient, but in this case you can’t hesitate. As a rule, after treatment, two positive effects- a complete cure for the disease or a slowdown in the development of cancer, so you should still trust the doctors and try to extend your life, if possible.

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