Lung cancer is the most common disease in oncology. Despite the fact that it is from this form of the disease that the largest number of people die, it is little studied. Thirteen percent of all people who died in the world were diagnosed with lung cancer. A large number of people with this deadly disease are heavy smokers.
Unfortunately, this disease is usually found out at the 3rd and 4th stages. Diagnosed with lung cancer: how long to live? At 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 localized, what type of tumor. Usually this period is calculated in weeks or months. Sometimes they live up to 5 years, but this is the maximum.
Lung cancer: how much to live released when the tumor is localized in this organ? Metastases spread to the heart, lymph nodes, liver and kidneys. The shortest term is 2 months, but there are exceptions.
Doctors unanimously say that the main cause of the tumor in this organ issmoking cigarettes. It all depends on the experience of the smoker. Cigarettes contain harmful tar. Of course, not only smoking causes tumors, but also asbestos production, radon natural gas and air pollution. If lung cancer is diagnosed, how long to live also depends on the type of tumor.
Cancer is divided into several types. It comes in the following types:
- squamous;
- small cell or large cell;
- adenocarcinoma.
Squamous cell cancer occurs in different parts of the body, but most often in open areas. It usually appears in older people - both women and men. According to studies, the tumor occurs at the site of scars after a burn and after exposure to the sun. Squamous cell lung cancer: how long to live? This type of disease develops more slowly.
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 also affects other organs, there are sore throats, problems with swallowing, a hoarse voice, and pain.
Quite often, in 40% of cases, adenocarcinoma is localized in the lung. If abundant sputum appears, mucus is formed, the development of the disease can be suspected. Adenocarcinoma is usually located in the middle. Within 6 months, the tumor almost doubles in size. If a person has such lung cancer, metastases, how long do they live with adenocarcinoma? According to statistics, mensuffer from this type of cancer more often. The prognosis for this type of tumor is poor, it metastasizes to the lymph nodes, pleura.
Treatment methods
Modern medicine uses the following cancer treatments:
1. Chemotherapy.
2. Radiotherapy.
3. Operation.
4. Combined treatment.
Many patients who have been diagnosed with this disease are trying to find a miracle cure for such a deadly disease as lung cancer. Treatment (reviews are left by relatives of patients at oncoforums) by such methods is ineffective. In practice, this usually does not work.
Most often, if the disease was diagnosed at stages 3-4, a combined method of treatment is used. First, radiation therapy is performed, irradiating the tumor zones and metastases. After a short break, chemotherapy is given, and three weeks later, surgery is performed. During the operation, a part of the lung or the entire organ is removed (this is individual). Some patients do not live to see the operation. However, medicine knows cases of recovery of patients even in the last stages.