I am brand new to this site. I am curious to what Lung Cancer Stage 4, non small cell ,means? And generally speaking the life expectancy?
I do realize everyone is different, and there can be other factors involved, a small tumor in brain also and
she is 60......I believe the tumor got ot the brain via Lymph System?
I am not going to freak out at any answer, as this is not me, it is not someone I know, it is a friend of a friend of a friend. I am not sure if this question is posted in the right place, forgive me as this is 1st post and direct me to correct place?
I am just trying to understand the severity of this, and the real chances of survival after 1 year.
I will be happy with a general answer as that is all you can give without being the actual pyshician on this case
Reply # - May 21, 2013, 01:39 PM
Reply To: Stage 4 Lunc Cancer
Hi peanut504,
Welcome to GRACE. Don't worry, you did fine in terms of asking your question.
There are two major types of lung cancer, non small cell and small cell. Each of them occurs when normal lung cells mutate in such a way that they grow in an uncontrolled fashion. Stage IV is the most advanced stage of lung cancer, in which the cancer has spread from the lung to distant organs, in this case the brain. It would have spread there through the bloodstream, as Dr. West described:
"Cancer in the bloodstream is like movement along the roads. Once cancer cells are out in the bloodstream, they can travel pretty much anywhere. You can't get from New York to Boston without taking a road (even to the train station or airport -- I'm working with what I've wrought), and you can't get from the lung to the brain without going to the bloodstream." - http://cancergrace.org/forums/index.php?topic=4928.msg30072#msg30072
Once lung cancer has reached stage IV, it is considered incurable, although still treatable, with the goal of extending the length of life and improving the quality of life. Although the median survival for stage IV NSCLC patients is a little less than a year, some patients do significantly better than that. Those are usually patients who respond best to treatment.
You may want to review Dr. Weiss' excellent Introduction to Lung Cancer here: http://cancergrace.org/lung/2010/04/05/an-introduction-to-lung-cancer/
Good luck to the friend of a friend of a friend.
JimC
Forum moderator
Reply # - May 21, 2013, 08:01 PM
Reply To: Stage 4 Lunc Cancer
I hope Jim's information and the additional links he pointed you to are helpful. If you have follow up questions, we can try to help address them for you.
-Dr. West