stage 4 lung cancer

stage 4 lung cancer

Stage IV is the most advanced stage of lung cancer, and includes any size tumor that has spread beyond local lymph nodes to a distant site outside the chest. If a primary tumor has spread to the opposite lung, it is classified as stage IV as well.

A stage IV lung cancer diagnosis can also describe patients with an abnormal collection of fluid around their lungs or heart. For the lung this is known as malignant pleural effusion, and for the heart, malignant pericardial effusion. Both are common complications among late stage lung cancers.

Because stage IV lung cancer has spread outside the lung, it is considered too widespread to be cured surgically. Although stage IV cancer is almost always incurable, it is still treatable. Several palliative therapies can improve a patient's survival and quality of life by controlling tumor growth and relieving the pain caused by cancer symptoms.
Lung Cancer Staging by Type

There are two primary types of lung cancer that doctors distinguish by the types of cells involved.  Because the two types grow and spread differently, doctors will consider the patient's type and stage of cancer before suggesting any treatments.

symptoms lung cancer

symptoms lung cancer

The most common lung cancer symptoms are:

•     Persistent cough
•     Shortness of breath
•     Chest pain
•     Unexplained weight loss
•     Coughing up blood

If lung cancer has spread to other parts of the body, symptoms may include:

•     Back or shoulder pain
•     Headaches if the brain is involved
•     Stroke-like symptoms, such as numbness and weakness
•     Generalised weight loss
•     Difficulty swallowing
•     Changes in one’s voice
•     Clubbing (rounding) of fingernails

lung cancer prognosis

lung cancer prognosis

What is the prognosis (outcome) of lung cancer?

The prognosis of lung cancer refers to the chance for cure or prolongation of life (survival) and is dependent upon where the cancer is located, the size of the cancer, the presence of symptoms, the type of lung cancer, and the overall health status of the patient.

SCLC has the most aggressive growth of all lung cancers, with a median survival time of only two to four months after diagnosis when untreated. (That is, by two to four months, half of all patients have died.) However, SCLC is also the type of lung cancer most responsive to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Because SCLC spreads rapidly and is usually disseminated at the time of diagnosis, methods such as surgical removal or localized radiation therapy are less effective in treating this type of lung cancer. When chemotherapy is used alone or in combination with other methods, survival time can be prolonged four- to fivefold; however, of all patients with SCLC, only 5%-10% are still alive five years after diagnosis. Most of those who survive have limited-stage SCLC.

In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most important prognostic factor is the stage (extent of spread) of the tumor at the time of diagnosis. Results of standard treatment are generally poor in all but the most smallest of cancers that can be surgically removed. However, in stage I cancers that can be completely removed surgically, five-year survival approaches 75%. Radiation therapy can produce a cure in a small minority of patients with NSCLC and leads to relief of symptoms in most patients. In advanced-stage disease, chemotherapy offers modest improvements in survival although rates of overall survival are poor.

The overall prognosis for lung cancer is poor when compared with some other cancers. Survival rates for lung cancer are generally lower than those for most cancers, with an overall five-year survival rate for lung cancer of about 16% compared to 65% for colon cancer, 89% for breast cancer, and over 99% for prostate cancer