Since the lungs cannot be seen or felt, it's harder to detect if something is wrong until troublesome symptoms appear, such as a persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath and unexplained weight loss.
Because cancers such as lung grow quietly and aren't detected until they've become advanced and spread to other parts of the body, doctors don't detect the disease until it's too late.
Currently 57% of lung cancers are diagnosed late, greatly reducing chance of survival.
Lung cancer is difficult to diagnose because patients are often asymptomatic in the early stages of the disease. Contrary to popular belief, lung cancer has many different causes besides smoking. The disease tends to affect older individuals who have coexisting health conditions that complicate cancer treatment.
Early lung cancer does not alert obvious physical changes. Moreover, patients can live with lung cancer for many years before they show any signs or symptoms. For example, it takes around eight years for a type of lung cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma to reach a size of 30 mm when it is most commonly diagnosed.
Patients can (and usually do) live with lung cancer for many years before it becomes apparent. Early lung cancer is largely asymptomatic and internalisation of tumours means patients are not alerted by obvious physical changes.
On average, lung cancers double in size in four to five months.
It often is diagnosed at stage 3 or 4.
Squamous cells, thin flat cells lining the surfaces of organs, are found in the lining of the bronchi. These cancers are more likely to spread to other areas of the body, making them more difficult to treat. Squamous cell carcinoma is more closely associated with smoking than any other type of lung cancer.
In the U.S, lung and bronchus cancer is most often diagnosed in people between the ages of 65 and 74 years old. The average age for lung cancer diagnosis is about 70.
The most common areas for lung cancer to spread to are: nearby lymph nodes or a single distant lymph node. the brain. bones.
A diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer indicates that the cancer has spread to the other lung or more distant parts of the body. It is the final stage of lung cancer. There is currently no cure, but certain treatments can prolong life.
Survival for all stages of lung cancer
around 40 out of every 100 people (around 40%) survive their cancer for 1 year or more. around 15 out of every 100 people (around 15%) will survive their cancer for 5 years or more. 10 out of every 100 people (10%) will survive their cancer for 10 years or more.
Patients with metastatic (stage 4) non-small cell lung cancer that's spread to distant organs or regions of the body have a five-year relative survival rate of 8 percent, according to ACS. Stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer that has spread regionally has a five-year relative survival rate of 37 percent.
Non-small cell lung cancer symptoms
Persistent coughing, particularly without any known cause. A cough that produces blood or red-colored phlegm (hemoptysis) Chest pain or painful breathing. Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
There are usually no signs or symptoms in the early stages of lung cancer, but many people with the condition eventually develop symptoms including: a persistent cough. coughing up blood. persistent breathlessness.
In stage 1 lung cancer, people usually do not experience symptoms. When they do, the most common symptoms include shortness of breath, a persistent cough, and coughing up blood or blood-stained phlegm. Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer.
Or stage 3A means one or more of the following: the cancer is between 5cm and 7cm.
Stage II non-small cell lung cancer is divided into stages IIA and IIB. In stage IIB, the tumor is 5 centimeters or smaller and cancer has spread to the lymph nodes on the same side of the chest as the primary tumor. The lymph nodes with cancer are in the lung or near the bronchus.
For patients who have small, early-stage lung cancer, the cure rate can be as high as 80% to 90%. Cure rates drop dramatically as the tumor becomes more advanced and involves lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
Lung cancer is an aggressive form of cancer that spreads rapidly. Survival rates are improving but remain low, particularly for SCLC. Early diagnosis and treatment improve a person's chances of living for 5 years or longer with lung cancer.
Outlook / Prognosis
Small cell lung cancer is a very aggressive illness. Without treatment, most people with small cell lung cancer die a few months after they're diagnosed. Healthcare providers can treat small cell lung cancer, but the disease often comes back.