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| lung cancer stages |
If cancer is found at an early stage, survival chances of patients will increase. This is true of all types of cancer, but is particularly true of lung cancer because of its tendency to spread really fast to other critical body organs.
4 lung cancer stages -- Stage 1 is the earliest and least life threatening, while Stage 4 represents the most advanced stage of the disease offering a very poor prognosis (the latter is just a fancy word meaning the outlook for the patient -- his or her chances of recovery and ability to lead a normal life.)
Keep in mind that although Stage 1 is the most treatable among the stages of lung cancer, it is still a very serious disease even at this early stage.
Lung cancers often start off by affecting the lining of the bronchi. Some cancers also originate in the glands that lie underneath the bronchi lining.
Let's take a look at the four lung cancer stages.
Stage 1
Lung cancer that is confined to the lung tissue and has not spread to other parts of the body including lymph nodes is classified as Stage 1 lung cancer. As mentioned earlier, this stage offers the best chances of a full recovery and is the most treatable stage of the disease.
Stage 2
Stage 2 lung cancer refers to a phase where the disease has not spread beyond the lung tissue and the lymph nodes located inside the lung.
Stage 3
As the disease progresses further, it spreads to lymph nodes outside the lung as well. So stage 3 lung cancer is said to be present when the malignancy is confined to three areas -- lung tissue, lymph nodes within the lung and lymph nodes located outside the lung.
Stage 4
The disease is said to have progressed to stage 4 lung cancer when it has spread well beyond the lungs and has affected other organs like the brain, liver, bones, adrenal glands and other parts of the body.
Treatment for the disease depends on the type of lung cancer -- Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) versus Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) -- the overall health of the patient, among other factors.
Here is a look at the different stages of lung cancer and the major treatment types associated with each. This can and does vary from one patient to another.
Stage 1 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
The main treatment for this kind of cancer is surgery. It is estimated that there is a two in three chances of a cure.
Stage 2 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
As with Stage 1 NSCLC above, surgery remains the mainstay of treatment. The cure rate tends to drop to around 50% now.
Stage 3 NSCLC
A combination of chemotherapy and radiation treatment is often used at this stage. The cure rate is still around 50% for these cancers.
Stage 4 NSCLC
As with stage 3, a combination of radiation and chemotherapy is used. The chances of recovery are lowest at this stage.
Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC)
This is a very aggressive type of cancer. Most doctors use radiation and chemotherapy to try to arrest the progress of the disease. The cure rate can vary widely depending on many factors.
With newer drugs and treatment methods under development, it is expected that the cure rate for all lung cancer stages will go up and patients may be able to lead a near-normal life.