Thursday, August 28, 2008

How long can a person live with stage 4 lung cancer

How long can a person live with stage 4 lung cancer?
My Grandpa was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer (tumors in both lungs) but they haven't given him any set time. Does anyone have any idea? Yes, his doctor doesn't believe in giving a 'life expectancy'. Non-small cell lung cancer DOES have 4 stages. I have heard that, with the small amount of chemo he's receiving once a month, a year is about right.
Cancer - 4 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Sorry about your grandad. My bf's grandma was diagnosed w stage 4 lung cancer too last wk and they gave her 1 year to live. I'm no expert on cancer but I'm sure it varies from person to person especially when the cancer is that far advanced, he should be able to get that info from his physician tho. I hope my answer was of some help and again sorry about your grandad.
2 :
So sorry to hear about your grandpa... Lung cancer actually has two stages: limited and extensive. The normal average after diagnosis is 4 months.
3 :
My research shows about 12 months. My current oncologist doesn't discuss life expectancies since they true at large but meaningless individually.
4 :
Life expectancy varies by individual depending on their overall health and age. The 5 year survival rate of stage 4 non-small cell cancer with both lungs involved is very, very low.

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Sunday, August 24, 2008

Can Lung Cancer Affect You Mentally or Physically or Both

Can Lung Cancer Affect You Mentally or Physically or Both?
I am working on a lung cancer research paper and I need to find out if it affects you mentally or physically or both. I can't find any infomation online about it. As much infomation would be much appreciated.
Cancer - 6 Answers
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1 :
my ex gfs father got it and 5 days after diagnoses he was gone its a very quick thing man
2 :
Both. If a person has lung cancer, that is a limited amount of oxygen to the brain, which makes one think un clear. Of course the physical would be effected. If you can't breath good, you're not going to do good at all.
3 :
When you are told you only have a few months to live, it does affect you mentally. You feel removed, abandoned, disconnected. Even if the lung cancer hasn't metastasized to the brain you still function poorly after the official dx. Once the cancer is faced and you decide to fight then a different perspective of mental well being unfolds. It took me about 2 weeks to snap out of the idea that I was already a walking dead woman and decided to fight and live. Now my mental state is fine other than the fact that its something I can never put completely out of my mind. Every little ache and pain makes me wonder if my cancer is spreading. It can wear a person down. It can prevent proper sleep and in turn affect you mentally in certain judgements. Physically I am fine. I went thru 6 rounds of chemo nearly 1.5 years ago, and that wasn't even too bad for me. It is more difficult to work as I used to, being shorter on breath than I used to be makes it hard to work for long periods. I still go hiking, play outside with my dogs, work at my job (its a physical job) altho my work load has lessened. ( I am self employed). So for me, I wouldn't even know I have lung cancer if I wasn't dx'd. The chemo I did created more problems than the cancer itself, other than the fact that my prognosis is death within a short time... I am doing pretty good!!! As my cancer progresses, if I can't keep it contained any longer, there will be problems with low oxygen, fatigue, and all round poor health. If you have any questions that I can help you answer, feel free to email me.
4 :
I agree with the previous answers and would like to add that if the cancer spreads to the brain...that also affects a person mentally as well. The person may be forgetful, hard to arouse and their whole personality could change as the cancer spreads. So yes, lung cancer affects a person mentally when diagnosed and again if the cancer spreads to the brain. Good luck on your paper.
5 :
Matthew, this does take a toll on a person. It affects you physically because it is trying to take over your body. It is something that is growing inside of you. You are going to have to have surgery and or chemotherapy. The medications also take a toll on the persons body. They will usually get sick from the chemo and they won't want to eat anything. This will cause the weight loss. The way that this will affect someone mentally is you are pretty much sad all of the time. You are so tired. It is very hard to get out and go places because of all the sicknesses that are out there. So boredom comes into play and you really need to get out. I would always feel so bad for my mom. She was not one to stay at home, and this pretty much made her very depressed. So, I hope this will help you a little bit. Good luck on you paper.
6 :
yes just the stress of having cancer can affect you mentally. if you have lung cancer they should
be checking to see if it has spread to your adrenal glande that can really make you lose it mentally.it can spread any where lymphnodes,brain,bones,blood ,kidneys,liver...... anywhere.My mom died from lung,bone,liver ,adrenal glande,kidney cancer .In a matter of weeks wish you the best of luck and may god be with you and your family.Cancer of any kind is such a horrible thing

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

How much cigarette is enough to cause lung cancer

How much cigarette is enough to cause lung cancer?
I've had about 4 packs of 20 cigarettes in my life in the range of a 2 year's time, is it enough to cause severe lung cancer?
Cancer - 3 Answers
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1 :
It's not the amount of cigarettes you have that causes it,it's when you have a cigarette and the toxins(not the tobacco,that isnt the problem;its the nicotine and stuff)enter a blood cell that is seperating or something.That's how you get cancer.Some people smoke hundreds of cigarettes every week and never have as much as a cough.It just depends.
2 :
Cancer is a tricky thing. Somebody who has never smoked a day in their life can develop severe lung cancer. The important thing is that you have stopped. Your body is already repairing itself and to be honest those 4 packs probably have not done too much in the long run. Don't start again.
3 :
While a link has been established between smoking and a range of diseases including lung cancer and it seems to be worse the more you smoke, no "safe" level of smoking has been established. On the positive side, once you stop smoking, the body starts to heal many of the problems caused.

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Saturday, August 16, 2008

What is the chance of dying from lung cancer

What is the chance of dying from lung cancer?
it's for a school project and i need to know what the chances are for dying of lung cancer. how likely is it that the patient wont survive? well, for you information, Nado Lax, i DID try google which is why i am asking on yahoo.
Cancer - 7 Answers
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1 :
1.1%
2 :
try google, it's really not that freaking hard. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS366US368&q=death+percentage+from+lung+cancer&aq=f&aqi=m1&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai= I found 3 results that plainly stated the statistics.
3 :
1.1% if you do not smoke, 5.5% if you smoke, 10% if you have breathing problems and smoke
4 :
If you smoke, just look on the internet and see what your lungs look like, then you will see that for those who smoke, the risk is much higher. I'm not trying to be rude, just telling the facts.
5 :
If you look at statistics for Lung cancer, you will find that it is one of three specific diseases that chemotherapy does not work on. Out of 20,741 cases of Lung cancer (people older than 20 years old) that got chemotherapy for it, only 410 people survived more than 5 years. That is about 2% success. That is using ABSOLUTE numbers, not the typical RELATIVE numbers that are used to manipulate data to show better results. In most cases, getting chemotherapy for Lung cancer speeds up the death process rather than the opposite effect. Chemo tears down the body's immune system and basically destroys the ability to heal. Cancer is the only disease that has redefined "CURE" for a disease. It is now an accepted phrase to say, "He is in remission." Then they put a 5 year survival rate as part of the definition and tell people to get an early diagnosis. This sounds very caring and is a good idea to get the early diagnosis, but cleverly they now put as part of the definition of this "Remission" of 5 years to start the clock on the day you are diagnosed. So the earlier you are diagnosed, the more chance you have of surviving more than 5 years. Since we know it takes about 10 years to get to the point where cancer has been growing in a person to be diagnosed, the sooner you are diagnosed, the better 5 year survival you will have. All this is marketing fluff that wants to deceive the real numbers. Another clever technique that is being used in many so called "scientific studies" is the Absolute vs. Relative numbers. If take 100 people and assume 2 will get cancer in a study that shows statistically this is what happens and then you subject them to cancer treatments and only 1 dies, you can now claim the relative number of 49% success of that drug. That is a relative number. All this manipulation of data is to prove the success of BAD SCIENCE and to raise large sums of money for this bad science. Over 100 years of research on cancer has now given us a success of 2.1% in the U.S. using chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Since a clinical trial uses 30% as the determining factor as to whether or not a drug is successful, it seems that current cancer treatments are far less than a sugar pill (placebo). That my friend is NOT success. So your chances of survival if you opt to get treated is less than 2% for a 5 year survival rate. If you don't get treated, your chances are better, but that is not an easy number to come up with. good luck to you
6 :
One person dies of lung cancer every 15 minutes in the uk.
7 :
It depends on what type of lung cancer you have and how early it is discovered. You can find the numbers here: http://lungcancer.about.com/od/glossary/g/survivalrate.htm

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Tuesday, August 12, 2008

How long does it take a person to die from lung cancer

How long does it take a person to die from lung cancer?
How long does it take a person to die from lung cancer?? Whats the average life span?
Cancer - 3 Answers
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1 :
Mr. Justin - It is cruel to think of death by cancer. No doubt it is a dangerous disease and death is ultimately inevitable. It depends on various facts such as - condition of the patient, stage of the disease, grade of the disease, other reasons for getting the disease etc.If the stage is advance one II or III or IV the treatment options become difficult and prolonged no to speak the hardships of the patient and expenses. But there are cases of complete cure when the disease is detected at early stages. I do not know the purpose or reason for your asking this question but I would like you to know the symptoms of this cancer and risk factors (Causes) for information - Lung cancer typically doesn't cause signs and symptoms in its earliest stages. Signs and symptoms of lung cancer typically occur only when the disease is advanced. Signs and symptoms of lung cancer may include: -A new cough that doesn't go away - -Changes in a chronic cough or "smoker's cough" -Coughing up blood, even a small amount -Shortness of breath -Chest pain -Wheezing -Hoarseness The major risk factors for getting Lung cancers are - - Smoking. - Exposure to secondhand smoke. - Exposure to radon gas. - Exposure to asbestos and other chemicals. - Family history of lung cancer. - Excessive alcohol use. - Sex without any discipline.-
2 :
My mother fought Lung Cancer for 3 years and passed away at the age 54.
3 :
Dear Justin The new study, published on Thursday in the medical journal Cancer Research, links high levels of aromatase, an enzyme that makes estrogen from another hormone called androgen, to a more aggressive and lethal form of the cancer. The study was conducted by researchers at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). The discovery is important because it can help predict survival at an early stage of the disease, when there are still more treatment options available. It can also help doctors determine the need for a more aggressive therapy in patients with high levels of the enzyme. "All indications suggest that this is a very powerful prognostic marker that lets us predict which patients have a higher likelihood of prolonged survival versus death from lung cancer," said Lee Goodlick, a researcher at the Jonsson Center and senior author of the study. The findings also suggest that aromatase inhibitors, which are already being used for the treatment of breast cancer, could also be used to treat lung cancer. Based on research performed at the center, scientists already knew that estrogen plays a role in lung cancer, just as it does in breast and ovarian cancers. What they did not know was that high aromatase levels play such an important role in the growth of lung cancer in older women. Scientists do not know yet why those levels do not have the same effect on younger women and on men. "We need to figure out all the strategies that a lung cancer cell uses to trigger and amplify the estrogen pathway," Goodlick said. "In women over 65, one trick the cancer cells appear to use is increasing aromatase. It remains an interesting mystery what strategy the cancer cells are using in women under 65 and in men." "Identifying which branch of the estrogen pathway is hijacked by cancer cells will allow us to specifically attack that branch on a person-by-person basis. I think this study is one important step in that direction." The number of women with lung cancer has been increasing for decades and the disease is the leading cancer killer in women.

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Friday, August 8, 2008

What are the chances of a 16 year old getting lung cancer

What are the chances of a 16 year old getting lung cancer?
I get chest pains and shoulder pains kind of a lot also in my collar bones. I have trouble breathing a lot. Before I just blamed all of this on my anxiety problem and depression. But I was looking into it and have been thinking maybe it's more than that. I don't smoke. I'm not usually around people smoking. I plan on going to the doctor to get it checked out but I just wanted some other people opinions. How likely is it for me to get lung cancer?
Cancer - 1 Answers
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1 :
not likely,but you should consult your dr to find why you feel this way,mike uk

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Monday, August 4, 2008

What is the minimal age for lung cancer

What is the minimal age for lung cancer?
Can a 20 or 25- year old get lung cancer? They have both been light smoker for about 4 years. I ask this because on "thank you for smoking" there was a 16-year old kid who had lung cancer.
Cancer - 5 Answers
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1 :
~~I dont think there is a minimal age. Anyone can get lung cancer, and lung cancer is not only caused by being a smoker. There are environmental hazards that contribute as well.
2 :
It maters what state you live in. Seriously, there is no minimal age, but because it it a disease associate with exposure, the older you are, the more exposure you will have, are therefore increases the chance of getting it.
3 :
It can happen at any age, but the more exposure you have over time, the higher the odds. My dad quit at age 40 and they told him after 40 years he would be fine - too much time had passed. At 82 he got it - he was lucky and survived with surgery and chemo but he went through total hell to do it. Two other family members have been sick from smoking ( a heart attack, emphysema and a stroke). Please quit.
4 :
There is primary lung cancer which older adults generally have and of which most people think of as 'lung cancer'. The piece you are missing is that metastatic cancer of ANY kind can travel to the lung and create a secondary cancer in the lung. Thus, anyone with metastatic cancer at any age can have lung cancer as well as brain cancer and liver cancer. In general, metastatic cells follow the blood sytem route . .which means the places that receive the most blood often end up with mets to that area. The lung, liver, and brain are the most areas for metastatic cancer to travel to. Thus a 16 year old would probably not have a primary lung cancer, his lung cancer is probably a secondary metastatic nodule or tumor. Remember that metastatic means that the original cancer cells can move anywhere in the body and start a brand new cancer . . however, that new cancer is still made up of that first type of cell (ie a bone cancer cell goes to the lung . .is still a bone cancer cell, but now it is growing in the lung.) It would be unusual for a child or teen to have a primary lung cancer, but it can happen. It would usually be a different type of lung cancer though than what affects an adult.
5 :
There isn't a minimal age! Even 1 year olds can get cancer! I would say smokers have a lot better chance of getting cancer but thats not always true! My grandmother died 6 years ago from lung cancer and she didn't smoke a day in her life!

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Friday, August 1, 2008

How long does lung cancer take to kill you

How long does lung cancer take to kill you?
approximately how long does it take for lung cancer to kill you, and what are some of the signs that it's advanced (e.g. tiredness, strong fever)? or advanced enough for nothing to help.
Cancer - 5 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
depends on your genetics my friend .. i've cared for perfectly healthy 93 year old pipe smokers ... then cloves have killed 12 year olds after just a few months of smoking
2 :
The answer has too many variables. It would all depend on how advanced it was when diagnosed, what type and how aggresive the treatment has been, the person's overall health, and other things. The person's doctor should be able to tell those type of answers.
3 :
Depends on what stage your in My Geometry teacher was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer, and died within 3 months.
4 :
I take it you smoke?... well you will start to cough up blood, and you will have a chronic cough, along with tiredness, and strong fever.
5 :
Cancers spread at different rates in each patient, so only a doctor after many tests can attempt to make a diagnosis of this. It can also depend on how different people respond to the treatment given. With lung cancer patients sadly by the time an initial diagnosis has been made the cancer is to often too advanced for a cure. My brother did not even have a cough until the end, though he was very weak and tired when he was diagnosed. By this time the cancer had spread and he only lived for a few months. The sooner the diagnosis is made the better, then treatment can be started, so checking out any symptoms with the doctor is essential as soon as possible as these symptoms could be a number of things.

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