Current Events > So lung cancer is basically a death sentence?

(+) Yeah! (+)

40.2% mortality rate. Seem like most people who get it don't make it alive

It has a lot to do with 1. Detection time and 2. The type of lung cancer. Small cell lung cancer, which is really only seen in smokers, has a very high mortality rate. We have screening options for lung cancer now though they're probably still underutilized.

TheHoldSteady posted...

40.2% mortality rate. Seem like most people who get it don't make it alive

Doesn't that mean most people do make it?

ai123 posted...

Doesn't that mean most people do make it?

Technically yes but those arent what Id call great odds.

You or someone you know get diagnosed?

A relative of mine was diagnosed with lung cancer after having a cough for a few weeks and then passed away less than two months later. It depends on when it's identified and diagnoses.

My grandpa technically beat it.

Though it was still functionally fatal for him, ultimately. He had a significant decline in health after the cancer + chemo, and he spent the next few years falling a lot, having progressively worse mental problems, growing weaker, and so on, until he passed away last month.

If it's not something that can be cured with surgery when you accidentally find it in stage 1 or stuff like lymphoma, a miracle is required.

The progress that's been made for treatments in the last like 70 years is barely noticeable. Even things in trials today only aim to target molecules that will help certain people live an extra month if all goes well. I hate it.

It's more because it tends to not get found until later stages because the way the lungs work you often don't realize anything is wrong until it's too late.

chaos_knight posted...

You or someone you know get diagnosed?

I've known two people with it and neither one survived

SaikyoStyle posted...

Technically yes but those arent what Id call great odds.

Basically a death sentence doesnt really apply when youre more likely to survive than not though.

Pancreatic cancer is the one you're thinking of.

5 year survival rate of 12.5%.

Fuck pancreatic cancer specifically.

It doesn't help matters that lung cancer has two causes (exposure to asbestos, long term smoking) that **** up your body in multiple other ways as well.

Is the mortality rate for other cancers really low? I assumed they were all at least in the 50% range.

Mesothelioma or small cancer is almost certainly a death sentence. But so long as a tumor hasn't metastasized, lung transplant is always a possibility to survive lung cancer.

BurmesePenguin posted...

Is the mortality rate for other cancers really low? I assumed they were all at least in the 50% range.

Depends on stage and location. Pancreatic and Brain cancer is super deadly.

BurmesePenguin posted...

Is the mortality rate for other cancers really low? I assumed they were all at least in the 50% range.

It's complicated.

Bear in mind each individual cancer is practically its own disease, with its own symptoms, treatment, and prognosis.

Like melanoma (skin cancer) has a fairly high mortality rate at Stage IV (Around 20% 5 year) but like 4% of cases are diagnosed at Stage IV because it's relatively easy to notice. The overall survival rates are thus in the 90's, because the majority of people are diagnosed at stages I to III.

my grandma had it and smoked until the day she died. she'd leave her chemo therapy and immediately light up

dont smoke, folks.

Why can't we just screen for all cancer on a yearly basis?

Vegy posted...

Why can't we just screen for all cancer on a yearly basis?

Because private insurance determined it's not necessary.

Vegy posted...

Why can't we just screen for all cancer on a yearly basis?

Because you can go from being told its absolutely nothing to full blown stage 4 cancer spreed throughout your whole body in 3 months time.

Vegy posted...

Why can't we just screen for all cancer on a yearly basis?

Japan is starting to do something like this.

In the US we've decided that resources should be used to make private insurance company owners obscenely wealthy and label it freedom instead.

My dad was diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer 3 years ago he's still in remission. It usually fatal if it reaches stage 4