What is the prognosis for non-small cell lung cancer?
The prognosis for non-small cell lung cancer is better if the disease is found early, and removed surgically. For patients whose disease is caught in Stage I, the survival rate five years after surgery ranges from 60% to 80%. Up to 55% of Stage II patients are alive after five years, but only about 30% of Stage III patients make it to five years. Unfortunately, 85% of patients already have at least Stage III cancer by the time they are diagnosed. Many of these patients have disease that is too advanced for surgery. Despite treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the five-year survival for patients with inoperable disease is extremely low. Source: The Gale Group. Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine, 3rd ed.
