| In terms of deaths caused by various | | | | · Stage 1A or 1B with no lymph node |
| forms of cancer, lung cancer ranks | | | | involvement has a five-year survival |
| second only to breast cancer. The | | | | rate of 43 to 64 percent when treated |
| National Cancer Institute recently | | | | with surgery. |
| reported that an estimated 172,570 new | | | | · Stage IIA or IIB with a single lymph |
| cases of lung cancer will be reported | | | | node involvement, when treated with |
| this year and that 163,510 American will | | | | surgery, has a five-year survival rate |
| die from this disease. | | | | of 20 to 40 percent. |
| Lung cancer is caused predominantly by | | | | · Stage IIIA with a single lymph node |
| smoking. One expert says that in the | | | | involvement in the center of the chest, |
| case of Small Cell Lung Carcinoma | | | | when treated with surgery has a |
| (cancer), it is almost always caused by | | | | five-year survival rate of 15 to 25 |
| smoking. | | | | percent. |
| Lung cancer is called lung cancer | | | | · Stage IIIB with lymph node |
| because it begins in the lungs. The | | | | involvement in the chest and neck, when |
| right lung has three sections, the left | | | | treated with radiation without other |
| lung has two. Each section is called a | | | | treatment, has a five-year survival rate |
| lobe. Sometimes the term "bronchogenic | | | | of five to seven percent. |
| cancer" is used to refer to lung cancer | | | | · Stage IIIB with lymph node |
| as most lung cancers begin in one of the | | | | involvement in the chest and neck, when |
| two breathing tubes, the bronchi, in the | | | | treated with radiation and chemotherapy, |
| lungs. | | | | has a five-year survival rate between |
| There are two major types of lung | | | | seven and 17 percent. |
| cancer. One is the Small Cell Lung | | | | · Stage IV with extensive lymph node |
| Cancer (SCLC) mentioned in the previous | | | | involvement or cancer that has spread to |
| paragraph. The other is Non-Small Cell | | | | other organs, hen treated with |
| Lung Cancer (NSCLC). | | | | chemotherapy and palliative care to |
| Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer has three | | | | reduce symptoms and increase comfort has |
| subtypes: Adenocarcinoma, Squamous Cell | | | | a one-year survival rate. |
| Carcinoma and Large Cell | | | | The prognosis is much bleaker for |
| Undifferentiated Carcinoma. NSCLC is the | | | | patients with Small Cell Lung Cancer. |
| least "serious" of the two types. In | | | | This form of cancer is found in two |
| fact, if it is detected early, it is | | | | stages: limited or extensive. The |
| possible that it can be cured with | | | | limited version is that which is found |
| surgery. | | | | in only one lung and nearby lymph nodes. |
| Andenocarcinoma accounts for about 40 | | | | The extensive type has spread outside |
| percent of lung cancer cases in the U.S. | | | | the lung to other parts of the chest or |
| It is the most common cancer among women | | | | body (metastasized). Limited SCLC when |
| and can be seen in non-smokers. Squamous | | | | treated with chemotherapy and radiation |
| Cell Carcinoma represents about 30 to 35 | | | | therapy has an average survival time of |
| percent of lung cancers and tends to | | | | 18 to 20 months. The extensive form of |
| stay localized in the chest longer than | | | | SCLC when treated with chemotherapy has |
| other types of lung cancer. Large Cell | | | | a survival time of 10 to 12 months. |
| Undifferentiated Carcinoma represents | | | | Ttwo-year survival rate is one to three |
| only about five to 15 percent of lung | | | | percent, and the five-year survival rate |
| cancers in the U.S. The incidence of | | | | less than two percent. |
| this type of cancer seems to be | | | | The majority of people diagnosed with |
| decreasing. | | | | SCLC will die despite the best available |
| The worst and most aggressive form of | | | | treatment. |
| lung cancer is Small Cell Lung Cancer. | | | | While surgery plays the most important |
| It represents only about 15 to 20 | | | | part in the treatment of Non-Small Cell |
| percent of all lung cancers. It spreads | | | | Lung Cancer, chemotherapy is always the |
| to the lymph nodes and other organs more | | | | chosen treatment for Small Cell Lung |
| quickly than NSCLC, but seems more | | | | Cancer. In the case of limited stage |
| responsive to chemotherapy drugs. | | | | SCLC, radiation therapy may also be used |
| Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer is described | | | | as the cancer is still localized to the |
| in stages - Stage I through IV. WebMD | | | | chest area where radiation can be |
| recently reports survival rates of NSCLC | | | | focused. |
| as: | | | | |