Basic Things You Must Know About Kidney Cancer

Globally, Lung Cancer is the most common cause of cancer related death in men and the second most common in women. Worldwide there are 1.3 million new cases of the disease reported each year, of which 1.8 million result in death. The highest incidence of the disease is in Europe and North America. In Eastern Europe mortality rates are higher among men, while in Northern Europe and North America mortality among women who suffer from the disease has overtaken that of men in recent years.

The most common cause for the disease is long term exposure to tobacco smoke. 20% of Lung cancer cases occur in non-smokers and the cause is a combination of genetic and environmental factors. As per the National Cancer Institute at Maryland, the median age of incidence of Lung Cancer is 70 years, and 71 years for death from the disease.

Lung cancer survival rates are low. This is because the disease is difficult to treat, mainly because diagnosis is delayed. If diagnosed in the first two stages, with surgery and chemotherapy Lung cancer survival rates can be greatly improved on.

Lung cancer survival rates depend on the type of Lung cancer a person suffers from and the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed and treated.

Overall, considering all people diagnosed with all types of Lung Cancer at all stages, only 20% survive for 1 year after diagnosis, 6% survive for 5 years and 5% survive for 10 years. An overall Lung Cancer diagnosis at stage 0 offers a 5 year survival rate of 70 – 80%. At stage 1- 50%, at stage 2- 30%, at stage 3- 15% and less than 2% at stage 4.

The two types of Lung Cancer are Small Cell Lung Cancer and Non Small Cell Lung Cancer. The survival rates are different for each type. Non Small Cell Lung Cancer accounts for 80% of all reported cases. If this type is diagnosed and treated with complete surgical resection at stage 1A, the survival rate is 67%. At stage 1B, the survival rate is 57%. Thereafter lung cancer survival rates diminish rapidly for each successive stage. At stage 4, the median survival rate for 5 years is hardly 1 %.

Small Cell Lung Cancer accounts for 16% of all reported cases. It is a more aggressive form of cancer and the prognosis is poor, the overall 5 year survival rate being hardly 5%.

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