Lung Cancer Life Expectancy

Published on Jun 18 2010, in the categories: Lung cancer research

Lung cancer is a very common type of cancer nowadays and a lot of research is done to point out bleak conclusions from statistics about its impact on society. Survival rates for non-small cell lung cancer are relatively low though they are significantly higher than those for small cell lung cancer. Despite a lot of progress with treatment and prevention techniques, lung cancer remains the deadliest of all cancers and it accounts for more deaths than colon, prostate and breast cancer together.

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All this research-based statistics are mainly aimed at raising awareness and monitoring any progress in reducing incidence. Methods such as the 5-year survival rate is used to indicate lung cancer prognosis and this shows what percentage of the patients were alive five years after diagnosis.

Prognosis is the estimation of chances for survival and of a long term outlook of the cancer's progress and the impact treatment will have on it. This ultimately indicates the life expectancy rate for patients with lung cancer.

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An important factor in establishing life expectancy prognosis is the stage of the disease, namely the stage at the moment the cancer is diagnosed. The treatment plan derived from staging the disease is also very important in terms of how the cancer responds to it. There are 4 stages of lung cancer and with each one the life expectancy prognosis decreases.

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The only accurate prognosis of lung cancer is the one done stage-wise but an overall life expectancy estimation can also be established at 13%, which basically represents the percentage of patients who are likely to overcome the cancer. This a low percentage but it is not really relevant since patients diagnosed with stage 1A lung cancer have a five-year survival rate between 60% and 80%.

The prognosis for stage 1B lung cancer is approximately 60% for a 5-year survival rate. The prognosis for stage 2 lung cancer if following surgical treatment, can reach a 50% 5-year survival rate. As the cancer becomes more advanced, surgery is not enough to kill the cancer and the prognosis becomes grimmer. If the cancer is still operable, the 5-year survival prognosis for stage 3 lung cancer can be 25% - 30% but if the cancer has already spread to much to be operable, the prognosis drops to 5% or 10% if the only treatment administered is radiation therapy. Chemotherapy can improve this prognosis by making it range between 7% and 10%.

For stage 4, the most advanced stage of the cancer, prognosis is the worst, of only around 2%. In the case of small cell lung cancer prognosis is even worse and doctors have even come to use a 1-year survival rate statistic.

American Lung Cancer Society

Published on Jun 12 2010, in the categories: Associations, lung cancer, Lung cancer research

The American Cancer Society is a nationwide organization with international programs as well, focused on mobilizing great forces in the fight against cancer since 1913. This is a community-based voluntary organization located in Atlanta and which has realizes the impact cancer has on modern society. With more than 3,400 other offices spread throughout USA, the ACS offers great specialized service for all people confronting the disease. Their field of interest and activity include research, information services, international programs, advocacy and public policy and community programs and services.
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Providing accurate and up-to-date information is one of its main missions and having specialist professionals working on each cancer type individually is essential in effectively dealing with them. For over 60 years this health organization has been committed to fighting cancer on more fronts through programs of research, education, advocacy, patient service and so on. The ACS is recognized in the medical community as the institution that has lead the way in cancer research and their programs include extramural grants, behavioral research and surveillance research.

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Providing information and implementing programs for raising awareness is also a responsibility The ACS has taken upon itself and just by checking their website you can find everything you counl ever need to know about all cancers, including lung cancer.

Lung cancer has its special section on the website and though it is not as funded and researched as other cancers it is still given the same attention and many services for lung cancer patients are available through the ACS. The organization's homepage even includes a plan that can help you quit smoking so you can easily see how much of the cancer related issues this institution covers.

You'll also find a way in which you can contribute yourself to the cause of fighting cancer either by offering to volunteer for some of their programs or by simply donating to research.

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Lung cancer is widely covered by the ACS and on its website you can find all the updated information about treatment options and progress in preventing the cancer. You'll also be directed to various support groups and even online communities where you can share your experience and that of others. The ACS has even developed an ingenious way of making the most of your visits to the doctor by filling in a worksheet beforehand you can find on their website. You're also provided with various treatment decision tools like the Treatment Profiler Tool, which can be very useful in establishing and understanding the best treatment plan for each individual case.

You can learn from ACS, you can join the fight or you can find it in your community. With more than 3000 offices they have also included providing a place to stay when treatment facilities are far from home.

European Lung Cancer Conference

Published on Jun 09 2010, in the categories: Lung cancer research

The European Lung Cancer Conference is an event that this year was only at its second edition. Even so, it is already a prestigious event bringing together many renowned oncologists and medical specialists interested or active in the field of lung cancer. This conference has as its partner the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Together they have managed to organize an event that centralizes all new research and studies about lung cancer and have also managed to make it an outstanding success.

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With a record attendance of 1,700 participants from 78 countries even if only at its second edition, the European Lung Cancer Conference is bound to become an increasingly significant and prestigious event. The conference's program consists of educational sessions on important topics about lung cancer as well as debates and presentations on the same subject. With the world's leading authorities in lung cancer holding the presentation the conference has fast gained great credibility and respect from the medical community. Many discussions and debates also take place at the conference. Controversial subjects, as the medical world has its own false myths, have been a reason for very intense debates and often enough the conference becomes the setting where these are resolved for the first time.

The program also includes work-shops on specific specialities and sessions with professors where you can go deeper into the subject. This later component of the program is called Meet-the-Professor and is focused as well as the other sections on clinically relevant issues that oncologists are confronted with every day.

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By attending the European Lung and Cancer Conference, doctors are bound to become updated on latest developments. These developments have an especially big impact on present treatment options in the area of clinical, basic and translational research.

An example of a subject presented and debated on during the Conference is the importance of tobacco control in lung cancer prevention. Other oncologists and specialists are welcome to intervene in the designated time. Another highly important subject presented during the conference is "Novelties in the management of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Since radiotherapy has also reported high success rates for treating the cancer, a lot of research is being conducted to improve or make the best out of radiation therapy. It's no wonder that one of the most awaited presentations was on the subject of novel and modified radiotherapy techniques.

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Held in Geneva between the 28th of April and 1st of May, the European Lung Cancer Conference was also aimed as optimizing treatment in Europe and rising the quality and degree of advancement of European treatment to the highest in the world. All sessions were open to journalists so the general public, people at home and patients can have access to the things discussed and new treatments, all these presented in a way that not only doctors can understand.

Lung And Liver Cancer

Published on Jun 01 2010, in the categories: Lung cancer research

Most liver cancers are secondary tumors. This means that they are a metastatic cancer originating in another part of the body, like the lung, and implies a stage that has the lowest chances of curing. Symptoms you might experience are also characteristic to the primary tumor also and can include persistent cough, coughing up blood, shortness of breath and chest pain in the case of lung cancer. Complications from pneumonia and bronchitis my also be experienced.

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Lung cancer spread to the liver can also trigger symptoms like pain in the right side of the body, just under the ribs. Patients may also feel sick, especially after eating rich food. Jaundice, your eyes and skin turning yellow, might also occur. If these symptoms are present you can have a blood test or an abdominal ultrasound and eventually a chest x-ray to confirm lung cancer that has metastized to the liver.

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Basically, this advanced, invasive (or metastatic) lung cancer implies the cancer has spread from where it started, namely the lung, to other parts of the body, in this case the liver. This diagnosis can be made when you first come to the doctor or the cancer can reach other organs and be diagnosed as a recurrent cancer after you've been treated once already. Besides the liver, such secondary cancers that start from the lung can also spread to the lymph nodes in the chest, abdomen, neck or armpit, the bones and the brain. The way this happens is by some of the cancerous cells traveling through the lymphatic system or through the bloodstream to other organs and developing new tumors.

Though life expectancy if very low, treatment options are still available for this stage of the cancer. A treatment plan is targeted at the primary tumor too and depends on more factors including if there are one or more liver tumors that have developed, whether the cancer has also spread to other parts besides the liver and on the patient's overall condition.

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The standard treatment for when the lung cancer has spread to other organs not just the liver is systemic chemotherapy. If the secondary cancer is limited to just the liver systemic chemotherapy is also the recommended treatment but also other forms of treatment, less aggressive can be used. If the tumor is only affecting a few areas of the liver,surgery can also be done to remove the tumor completely. Using radiofrequency waves or injecting toxic substances can also be administered as effective therapy. If the tumor has spread throughout the liver, chemotherapy can be directly targeted at the liver or doctors can block blood flow to parts of the liver to starve the cancerous cells through embolization.

Treatment options are obviously available but the prognosis is bleak. In a very small number of patients surgery can cure the cancer but in most cases of metastasis to the liver there's no possibility for a cure. Treatment can still be done to help shrink tumors, prolong life and relieve symptoms.

Brain Cancer + Trachea + Lung

Published on May 27 2010, in the categories: Lung cancer research

Lung cancer is one of the deadliest form of cancer out there and it affects entire families and communities. Especially in USA, where it is the leading cause of cancer death. Even around the world it is the most common cancer type with almost 1,3 million people diagnosed every year.
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Unfortunately this type of cancer shows very few signs and symptoms in its early stages and if diagnosed in its last stages most patients die within a year from diagnosis. This is almost certain in the case of metastasis to the brain. At this point you are very likely to experience symptoms from the secondary tumor in the brain but the disease is still called invasive non-small cell lung cancer in its last stage. This can occur in stage IV when the cancer has can cause fluid to collect around the lung, a condition also called a pleural effusion, a malignant one or it can spread to other organs such as the brain or bones.

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Treatment depends almost entirely on the stage of development. Earlier stages, I to III, also known as localized, are less aggressive and can be treated in less complicated ways, whereas higher-stage cancers, also called advanced cancers, ask for more aggressive treatments.

There are two types of lung cancers: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. The majority of the cases are non-small cell lung cancer, approximately 80%. Small cell carcinoma in encountered then in no more than 25% of lung cancers. The small cell carcinoma if often only diagnosed when it has already metastasized, and therefore is it most likely to have spread to the brain, bone, liver, or bone marrow. Small cell lung cancer usually starts in the cells from the trachea or bronchi. This type of lung cancer is the one that spreads the quickest, often before it's diagnosed. This is done through the bloodstream and symptoms such as headache, confusion, seizures and bone pain might be the first sign of the disease and ironically occur only when the cancer is almost 100% deadly.

Once the lung cancer has spread to your brain you should undergo more specialized tests and finally decide on a treatment plan together with your oncologist. Radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy is the standard treatment for this stage. Radiotherapy is more effective in just reducing the chance of cancer developing in the brain at an earlier stage. This prevention treatment is also called prophylactic radiotherapy.

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Chances for a cure are virtually minimal but treatment can be administered to give you as much quality of life as possible for the remaining time. This type of treatment is also called palliative care.

Lung cancer may also spread through the bloodstream to other parts of the body, most commonly the liver, brain, adrenal glands, spinal cord, or bones. The spread of lung cancer may occur early in the course of disease, especially with small cell lung cancer. Symptoms—such as headache, confusion, seizures, and bone pain—may develop before any lung problems become evident, making an early diagnosis more complicated.

DeCesaris Lung Cancer

Published on May 22 2010, in the categories: Lung cancer research

The Geaton and JoAnn DeCesaris Cancer Institute is the oncological department of Anne Arundel Medical Center, a private non-profit hospital serving Maryland.
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The DeCesaris Cancer Institute at Anne Arundel Medical Center encompasses a large array of services ranging from prevention, screening, diagnosis and various support activities. With a patient and family support program and a psysician refferal hotline, this is not your regular treatment facility with no comfort and time for empathy. Many different types of trained professionals contribute to the treatment of patients as well as researching new treatments. Their all time goal is to provide the best experience possible in the case of cancer patients and they commit to patients as well as their families to seek and deliver the most advanced, state-of-the-art therapy and technology. Adding to this are the most skilled physicians, nurses and staff ready not just to deliver a cure but to also establish a rapport and a trusting relationship with the patients. The available services go beyond your regular medical needs, to support services including nurse navigation, education, genetics counseling, support groups, social work and psychological therapy.

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The DeCesaris Cancer Institute is the central location that hosts all the AAMC’s cancer-related medical activities.

Other things you can expect to find in their highest standard services are education for public health, prevention and wellness, screening, diagnosis, multidisciplinary conferences, multidisciplinary treatment, clinical research for all stages of cancer, support for patients and families, palliative care, commitment to survivors, and CMEs for referring physicians and members of the medical community. All these add up to a ground-breaking institute for more than just treatment, for continuous development and solidarity between people.

The first step inside the institute reveals an environment that anticipates, supports and fulfills your needs and carefully take you and your family through the process of recovery.

The Institute has departments specializing in every form of cancer including lung cancer. The Thoracic Oncology Program diagnoses and treats cancers of the chest especially lung cancer. A multidisciplinary staff made up of surgeons, pulmonary specialists, interventional radiologists, radiation and medical oncologists, and pathologists ensure that you get the most accurate diagnosis and optimal treatment, customized for each patient. The main target is managing primary and secondary thoracic cancer, including those of the lungs.

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Lung cancer is the form of cancer that forms in the lungs, inside the tissue of the lungs and from where cancerous cells begin to spread and become invasive. Microscopes and other high-tech facilities help doctors diagnose the cancer and see whether they are dealing with small cell lung cancer or non-small cell lung cancer. Domestic research done at the institute shows that 219,440 new cases of lung cancer have been found in USA in 2009 out of which 159,390 have died.

This tells us that there's room for a great deal of improvement in the treatment and diagnosis of lung cancer. DeCesaris Institute physicians are active in a wide variety of research opportunities and clinical trials. You can therefore gain access to ultimate technologies and treatment options, increasing your chances of survival,

Lung Cancer Stats

Published on May 11 2010, in the categories: Lung cancer research

All statistics about lung cancer add up to one important fact: most people die of lung cancer than of any other form of cancer out there. In fact, recent studies have revealed that lung cancer can make more victims than breast cancer, colon cancer and prostate cancer put together.

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A study conducted in 2006 by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention came out with these concrete results: 106,374 men and 90,080 women were diagnosed with lung cancer and 89,243 men and 69,356 women died from lung cancer.
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There is a lot of data and statistics by demography also. Apparently lung cancer is less frequent among Hispanic men and Asian/Pacific islander and Hispanic women that among the other ethnical groups.
One of the most important statistic about lung cancer is however the rate of survival among the people affected. There are many official institutions who take it upon themselves to conduct such research.
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One such study is one done by the National Cancer Institute through its Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results projects. Survival rates can be calculated in many ways. The approach of SEER is based on relative survival. which measures survival rates in comparison to the general population. This can majorly facilitate the estimation of the real effects of cancer.
The study chose a 5-year period to show the 5-year relative survival for 1999-2006 from 17 SEER geographic areas. This rate of survival was 15.8%. Furthermore, five-year relative survival by race and sex was: 13.8% for white men. A figure of 18.6% for white women was also found and one of 11.3% for black men. 14.4% is the rate for black women.
This information can also be related to the cancer's stage at which death occurs and the stage at which diagnosis is made. What statistics show is that at a localized stage of the disease at the moment of diagnosis the rate of 5 year relative survival is 52,9%. The next stage at which diagnosis can be made is the regional spread of the cancer to regional lymph nodes. It this is the case the rate of survival is 24%. If cancer is already in metastasis when it is diagnosed the rate for 5 year relative survival is 3,5% and diagnosis at an unknown stage is proven to have a 8,7% rate of relative survival,
The gruesome fact is that more than 50% of diagnosis is made after metastasis settles in and only 15% of the patients are at a localized stage when they are diagnosed.
What this statistics states is that we should have ourselves periodically tested for signs of cancer and act at the first symptom. Ideally, people could also stop smoking since that is the main reason for lung cancer but since that is not usually the case we should at least keep ourselves aware of the risks we are taking.