Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Prognosis

Upon being diagnosed, many people wonder about the non small cell lung cancer prognosis. Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer and affects thousands of men and women every year. Most often, lung cancer only affects the elderly as over 70% of people diagnosed are over the age of sixty-five. A mere 3% of lung cancer cases occur in people under forty-five.

The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking. Over ninety percent of cases are caused to years of using tobacco. How likely you are to get lung cancer as a result of smoking depends on the number of years you have smoked, as well as the average number of cigarettes smoked. With over four thousand different chemical compounds, it is no wonder tobacco is the leading cause of lung cancer. Unfortunately, second hand smoke is another cause of lung cancer. Living in a home or being within close distance of a smoker for many years can cause lung cancer to develop.

There are two main types of lung cancer: small cell and non small cell. The non small cell lung cancer prognosis tends to be better than small cell, however, the stage of the tumor directly affects the likelihood of survival. The five year survival rate for a non small cell lung cancer prognosis averages between eleven and seventeen percent.

As already mentioned, the stage of the illness dramatically affects the non small cell lung cancer prognosis. When the tumor is less than three centimeters, the survival rate varies between sixty and eighty. This is stage one. Once the cancer reaches stage two, however, the five year survival rate drops to twenty-five to fifty percent. This is why if you are at risk of developing lung cancer, you should get checked regularly. Doing so could save your life.

Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Prognosis

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