Lung cancer is the most common ailment in oncology. Despite the fact that it is from this form of the disease that the largest number of people die, it has been little studied. Thirteen percent of all dead people in the world were diagnosed with lung cancer. A large number of people with this fatal illness are heavy smokers.
Unfortunately, this disease is usually found in the 3rd and 4th stages. Diagnosed with lung cancer: how much left to live? In the fourth stage, nothing can be changed. An irreversible process has been launched , metastases are spreading. The duration of human life depends on a number of factors: for example, in which organ the focus is located, what type of tumor. Usually this period is calculated in weeks, months. Sometimes they live up to 5 years, but this is the maximum.
Lung cancer: how much to live is released when a tumor is localized in this organ? Metastases spread to the heart, lymph nodes, liver, and kidneys. The shortest time is 2 months, but there are exceptions.
Doctors unanimously say that the main cause of the tumor in this organ is cigarette smoking. It all depends on the experience of the smoker. Cigarettes contain harmful tar. Of course, not only smoking causes the appearance of a tumor, but also asbestos production, natural gas radon and air pollution. If lung cancer is diagnosed, how much to live depends on the type of tumor.
Cancer is divided into several types. It is of the following types:
- squamous;
- small cell or large cell;
- adenocarcinoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma occurs in different parts of the body, but most often in open areas. It usually appears in older people - both in women and in men. According to studies, a tumor occurs at the site of scars after a burn and after exposure to the sun. Squamous cell lung cancer: how much is left to live? A disease of this type develops more slowly.
A small cell tumor develops rapidly. The danger of this disease is that while the tumor grows, there are no symptoms. Only in the last stages does a cough appear, as well as breathing problems. When the process captures other organs, there are sore throats, problems with swallowing, a hoarse voice, and pain.
Quite often, in 40% of cases, an adenocarcinoma is localized in the lung. If profuse sputum appears, mucus forms, you can suspect the development of the disease. Adenocarcinoma is usually located in the middle. Within 6 months, the tumor almost doubles. If a person has such lung cancer, metastases, how many live with adenocarcinoma? According to statistics, men suffer from this type of cancer more often. The prognosis for this type of tumor is poor, it gives metastases to the lymph nodes, pleura.
Treatment methods
Modern medicine uses the following types of cancer treatment:
1. Chemotherapy.
2. Radiation therapy.
3. The operation.
4. Combined treatment.
Many patients who have been diagnosed with this are trying to find a miracle cure for a deadly disease such as lung cancer. Treatment (reviews are left by relatives of patients at oncoforums) with similar methods is ineffective. In practice, this usually does not work.
Most often, if the disease was diagnosed in stages 3-4, a combined treatment method is used. First, radiation therapy is carried out , irradiating the tumor zones and metastases. After a short break, chemotherapy is done, and after three weeks they are operated on. During the operation, part of the lung or organ is removed completely (this is individual). Some patients do not live up to surgery. However, medicine knows cases of patients recovering even in the last stages.