How long can one live with lung cancer?

Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

Updated on September 27, 2024

00:00

00:00

The survival period of malignant tumors is a topic of great concern to everyone. The question of how long one can live with lung cancer is very difficult to answer. It should be based on the patient's physical condition and the pathological staging. However, these judgments are only based on a predictive basis and do not determine how long the patient can live. If the patient does not relapse after surgery, is sensitive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and shows no signs of recurrence or resistance, then their five-year survival rate is naturally higher. If the patient experiences recurrence and metastasis after surgery, then the five-year survival rate is naturally lower. Therefore, the question of how long a person can live with a malignant tumor cannot be answered generically.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Yuan Qing

Pulmonology

1min 5sec

home-news-image

Is a cough indicative of lung cancer?

Lung cancer occurs when the tissue cells in the lungs lose their normal genetic regulation, mutations occur in the genes, and normal tissue cells grow disorderly, forming a disease characterized mainly by tumors, known as lung cancer. The clinical manifestations of lung cancer can include choking cough, cough, coughing up blood, fever, weight loss, and other symptoms. However, it does not necessarily mean that a choking cough is definitely lung cancer. For example, conditions like bronchitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and even pneumonia and lung infections can cause choking coughs. Some colds may also present symptoms of choking cough. Therefore, a choking cough is not necessarily indicative of lung cancer. It is essential to consider the patient's age, occupation, smoking history, and if available, to combine this information with chest X-rays to make a comprehensive determination of whether it is lung cancer.

home-news-image

Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

1min 19sec

home-news-image

What causes lung cancer?

Lung cancer is caused by a variety of factors. Research indicates that lung cancer results from a combination of genetic defects, external and internal environmental factors, and personal factors. Numerous studies have confirmed that long-term and heavy smoking is the most significant carcinogenic factor for lung cancer. There is a positive correlation between the amount and duration of smoking and the incidence of lung cancer. The second factor is related to working in asbestos-related industries, which very much relates to the work environment, and also has a certain relation to smog. Indoor environmental pollution is also a very significant carcinogenic factor for lung cancer. This includes smoke from burning coal indoors, fumes from cooking oils in kitchens, and carcinogenic substances released by indoor decorating materials. Fourthly, internal human factors such as the immune status, metabolic abnormalities, genetic factors, and chronic lung infections are also related. The fifth factor involves irregular diet and rest habits, irritating foods, alcohol consumption, and heavy smoking.

home-news-image

Written by Yuan Qing

Pulmonology

49sec

home-news-image

What should I do if lung cancer causes coughing up blood?

Lung cancer refers to a condition where, due to genetic mutations in human cells, cells grow disorderly or wildly, forming a solid mass-like lesion primarily known as lung cancer. Due to the uneven growth of lung cancer, local necrosis can occur, leading to bleeding, making coughing up blood a very common clinical manifestation in lung cancer. The severity of coughing up blood is classified into mild, moderate, and severe. Generally, if a single instance of coughing up blood is less than five milliliters, it can be managed with Yunnan Baiyao. However, if the amount exceeds 100 milliliters, it is advisable to seek medical attention promptly to prevent life-threatening risks from massive hemoptysis. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

home-news-image

Written by An Yong Peng

Pulmonology

56sec

home-news-image

Can early-stage lung cancer cause shoulder pain?

In the early stages of lung cancer, it generally does not cause shoulder pain. Early-stage lung cancer often does not involve critical structures and typically does not produce noticeable clinical symptoms. However, a small number of central lung cancers may cause symptoms related to coughing. Moreover, shoulder pain can occur in cases of lung cancer, often seen in superior sulcus tumors. A superior sulcus tumor, also known as a Pancoast tumor, is a tumor located at the top of the lung. As the tumor grows, it may compress the brachial plexus nerves, leading to symptoms such as shoulder pain and throat pain. It can also cause symptoms like enophthalmos (sunken eyeball) and pupil constriction. Therefore, when encountering these signs clinically, it is necessary to consider the possibility of a superior sulcus tumor and conduct examinations like a chest CT scan for evaluation.

home-news-image

Written by An Yong Peng

Pulmonology

1min 1sec

home-news-image

Does lung cancer cause a dry cough and a feeling of stuffiness?

Lung cancer can present symptoms of chest tightness along with dry cough, or it may simply manifest as dry cough alone. Some early-stage lung cancers might only involve dry cough without other symptoms like chest tightness or breathing difficulties. However, for patients with advanced lung cancer, in addition to dry cough, symptoms may include chest tightness and breathing difficulties. Advanced lung cancer can compress the patient's major airways, leading to narrowing of these airways, and thus cause symptoms such as dry cough and chest tightness. In advanced stages, lung cancer may also be accompanied by a significant accumulation of pleural effusion. In such cases, patients might experience chest tightness and breathing difficulties along with dry cough. Therefore, lung cancer can either solely manifest as dry cough or may also be accompanied by symptoms of chest tightness, particularly in advanced stages, where it is relatively common to have chest tightness along with dry cough.