What is the survival rate of someone having lung cancer?

Question

My father in law recently was diagnoised with lung cancer. He has two growths in his lower left lung. The size is small, one is 7 mm and the other is 12 mm. he hasn't smoked in 5 yrs or more. What are his chances of full recovery?

Answer 1

http://www.cancer.gov/cancer_information/cancer_type/lung

this is a good site for information on lung cancer.

Answer 2

The rate of survival for lung cancer is sadly very low and the spread to the liver and brain lowers their chances even more, I'm afraid. How long someone has, after this devastating diagnosis, depends on many things. Only a specialist could guess and they aren't always right. Some prefer not to give a patient a time frame as they don't think it helps the people involved. Also 'miracles' do happen. There are many cases where someone has 'defied' the odds! If you or a loved one or anyone reading this has received this news I feel for you all and 'pray' you are given all the love and support you need whatever the outcome. Many people share this pain. I'm sure they'll all pray for you. My husband was only diagnosed at the beginning of December and died at the beginning of April. His had killed off one kidney and it was spreading and growing rapidly. I am thankful that for him it was quick and relatively painless and that he died at home as he wished. As a care-worker I know only too well the suffering terminal illness brings! As a member of a large family that has seen a lot of tragic deaths including our own loss of a baby, I've learnt to be philosophical about death. I picture them in a better place, and reunited, and happy. It eases the pain. I wish you all the strength you need! My thoughts are with you!

Answer 3

It really depends upon the staging of his cancer. If it is at it's very earliest stage 1 (it is rare to catch it that early) he has the best chance. Stage 4 would mean it has spread to other organs and his chance of surviving the next 5 years are less. The fact that he has 2 tumors tell me that he is not stage1.
Treatments are improving for lung cancer; there is more hope than in the past. Work with his doctor.

Answer 4

Lung cancer has a poor survival rate I'm sorry to say. Quite often it's only found in advanced stages unless someone manages to have an x-ray for something non-related and they find it then. Treatment is aggressive, but if there is already 2 growths he's had this for years and never knew it.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, his prognosis is poor. A person can have a small tumor in their lung and a giagantic one on their liver or brain. He will definately be staged if he is not already. They do pet scans to look for tumors in other parts of the body. They will do a bone scan to check for lesions in his bony skeleton which are suspicious for malignancy and they may want to scan and re scan his brain for lesions.
If you smoke for 20 yrs and then stop, it does not lessen your chances of getting lung cancer. You already did the damage. It does lessen the likelihood you will die from emphysema.
I hate to be the bad news bear, but your father in law is in trouble and he already knows it. The 5 yr survival rate is less than I believe 5%.

Answer 6

If they catch it early and/or can do surgery you can survive. My husband had no symptoms thought he hurt his back at work. He was diagnosed with lung cancer stage 4 He went thru radiation, chemo, gamma knife procedure. He also took a drug called tarceva it has had very good results. It is very expensive ask his doctor about tarceva. He passed 78 days after his diagnosis. Good luck I hope everything works out all right.

Answer 7

Sadly the survival rates of lung cancer are slim, however the growth can be controlled by the use of chemotherapy drugs, and radiotherapy. Best Wishes.

Answer 8

It depends on whether or not the cancer is operable or not.I had a 2 inch tumor on my right lung and it was removed.I am alive 15 months later and the cancer has not returned.There is always hope if discovered and treated early.

Answer 9

No one can tell, too many factors at play. My father was diagnosed December 1989 and life expectancy six months. He lived for two years! Yet his Brother, my Uncle diagnosed in March, the operated dead early August. Much has to do with the type, spread lymph nodes, other organs, his attitude is he depressed willing to fight, have they offered surgery or radiotherapy. However do not give up, it is important that you do not give up, because he might just prove you wrong.

Answer 10

If it is found early and removed, the recovery chances are greatly increased. If it progresses to stage 3 or 4, chances are very slim. If he just has two small spots, he needs to have them removed immediately.