Acantha Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 I'm trying to find out some information on Lung Cancer. I've been around to a bunch of sites already, and as expected the information is all over the place and generally disagrees with each other. My biggest question right now is the statistics they keep on survival rates. Everything is based of "5 year survival rates". I understand that these rates are supposed to give statistics on how many people are alive 5 years or more after treatment. The question I have is why is everthing based of 5 years? Is that a norm used across the line no matter what a life expentacy is, or is 5 years used becuase that is a base line for life expectancy in lung cancer? And why isn't there more timelines? I only see 5 years. No 10, no 15, just 5. Am I not looking in the right places or do they just not keep these statistics. I would assume if the statistics are not kept it would be because survival rates for that long are not expected. Also, if anyone knows any sites or information I could get that you know from experience or word of mouth to be reliable, I would appreciate the recommendation. I just found out my sister (36) was diagnosed. At this point I don't know anything other than that (type, stage, etc...) so I'm just trying to get basic information. She is being sent to Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC for treatment. Thanks for any help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacka Posted March 3, 2006 Share Posted March 3, 2006 My father had small cell carcinoma. It was near his main windpipe and esophaugus and possibly the nerve to his heart. I think it finally ruptured the pulmonary artery (the one that carries the blood from the heart to the lungs). The doctor said he couldn't operate. He lasted 16 months with chemo and radiation. The survival from that type is sadly anbout 5%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuckincincy Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 The Merck Manual has a brief reference to untreated conditions. http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/mmanual/sec...apter81/81b.jsp I'm so very sorry... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 we will say a prayer . hope everything turns out ok . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Avenger Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 Let me start by wishing your sister the best - she's going to a great place and could certainly have a very successful outcome - stay positive! It's hard when you find out something like this and only natural to ask what it means for long term survival. My son has a heart defect and I've had to learn that there aren't any answers about what his chances are of living until 30 or beyond - they just don't know yet. Survival rates in his cae are surgical survival rates for the procedures he has had/will have - these show survival to only 90 days post op. 5 years is kind of the standard in cancer studies - a good measuring stick amoung various types to determine how successful medicine is in dealing with cancer. It also gives enough of a timeframe to determine whether something really seemed to work, not work or only provide some temporary respite from the condition (i.e. - how well it does at keeping people in remission). You probably aren't seeing all that many studies past 5 years because these obviously require a longer term study and these are difficult and costly to do - I'm not sure how many studies there are on long term survival rates for anything. You also have to keep in mind that cancer treatments continually evolve, so there's limited benefit to doing a 20 year study on a therapy that was discontinued after 7 years in favor of something more promising. The best place for info will be the doctors at Sloan - they are tops in the field and ceratinly can point you to all the research - they're the ones doing it. Keep in mind that medicine really is getting better every single day, so anything showing survival rates even 5 years ago may be much improved now - it changes that fast. Time is your friend - the longer you can move forward in time the better the therapy is to treat you - remember that as you stay positive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acantha Posted March 4, 2006 Author Share Posted March 4, 2006 Thanks everyone. It's tough not knowing too much at the moment. She has her first appointment on Monday, so that should give us a way to understand exactly what is happening with her. All she knows right now is that she has a malignant tumor in her lung that is very large. Her doctors now (in FL) have said that they haven't seen one so large in a person her age, and that due to the size they are hesitant to try surgery. That is why she is being sent to Sloan. Obviously not promising news. I appreciate the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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