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