In other cases, the cancer may have reached the lymph nodes in the same area of the chest as the original tumor—typically, the lymph nodes near the bronchus or within the lung. In addition, the cancer meets one of the following criteria: The lung cancer tumor is larger than 7 cm.
Stage IA tumors are 3 centimeters (cm) or less in size. Stage IA tumors may be further divided into IA1, IA2, or IA3 based on the size of the tumor. Stage IB tumors are more than 3 cm but 4 cm or less in size.
For brain or lung metastasis, the larger the tumor, the higher the risk of brain or lung metastasis.
Stage 2A means that the cancer is one or more of the following: the cancer is between 4cm and 5cm. it has grown into the main airway of the lung (main bronchus) it has grown into the membrane covering the lung (visceral pleura)
Or stage 3B means one or more of the following: the cancer is between 3cm and 5cm. it is smaller than 5cm and has grown into the main airway of the lung (main bronchus) it is smaller than 5cm and has grown into the membrane covering the lung (visceral pleura)
Nodules greater than 10 mm in diameter should be biopsied or removed due to the 80 percent probability that they are malignant. Nodules greater than 3 cm are referred to as lung masses.
On average, lung cancers double in size in four to five months.
The stage of a cancer describes the size of a tumour and how far it has spread from where it originated. The grade describes the appearance of the cancerous cells. If you're diagnosed with cancer, you may have more tests to help determine how far it has progressed.
The most common areas for lung cancer to spread to are: nearby lymph nodes or a single distant lymph node. the brain. bones.
Stage I is also called early-stage lung cancer. It often can be cured, and most people can expect to live 5 years or longer.
The 5-year relative survival rate for NSCLC in women in the United States is 33%. The 5-year relative survival rate for men is 23%. For people with localized NSCLC, which means the cancer has not spread outside the lung, the overall 5-year relative survival rate is 65%.
Tumors that are generally larger than three centimeters (1.2 inches) are called masses. If your tumor is three centimeters or less in diameter, it's commonly called a nodule. If the nodule forms in your lungs, it's called a pulmonary nodule. Hamartomas are the most common type of benign lung nodule.
A CT scan usually isn't enough to tell whether a lung nodule is a benign tumor or a cancerous lump. A biopsy is the only way to confirm a lung cancer diagnosis.
About 40 percent of pulmonary nodules turn out to be cancerous. Half of all patients treated for a cancerous pulmonary nodule live at least five years past the diagnosis. But if the nodule is one centimeter across or smaller, survival after five years rises to 80 percent. That's why early detection is critical.
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a fast-growing type of lung cancer. It spreads much more quickly than non-small cell lung cancer.
Most lung cancers do not cause any symptoms until they have spread, but some people with early lung cancer do have symptoms. If you go to your doctor when you first notice symptoms, your cancer might be diagnosed at an earlier stage, when treatment is more likely to be effective.
It often is diagnosed at stage 3 or 4.
In contrast, Mydral et al16 found the time from onset of symptoms to treatment was shorter in patients with stage IV lung cancer (median 3.4 months) than in those with stage I/II disease (median 5.5 months).
For patients who have small, early-stage lung cancer, the cure rate can be as high as 80% to 90%. Cure rates drop dramatically as the tumor becomes more advanced and involves lymph nodes or other parts of the body.
In stage 1 lung cancer, people usually do not experience symptoms. When they do, the most common symptoms include shortness of breath, a persistent cough, and coughing up blood or blood-stained phlegm.
Stage 3. The cancer is over 7 cm across. It may have spread to lymph nodes at the center of the chest but not to any distant organs.
The location of the lung nodule may guide the care team in evaluating possible risk, and studies indicate that nodules in the upper lobe may be more indicative of cancer. However, not all nodules in the upper region of the lung are cancerous, and not all nodules located elsewhere are benign.
Your Recovery
It is common to feel tired for 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. Your chest may hurt and be swollen for up to 6 weeks. It may ache or feel stiff for up to 3 months. For up to 3 months, you may also feel tightness, itching, numbness, or tingling around the cut (incision) the doctor made.