What is my prognosis?

What steps should I take before considering my treatment options?
What are my treatment choices? Which are recommended for me? Why?
How long will my treatment last?
Should I consider joining a clinical trial?
How much will my treatment cost? How do I find out what my insurance covers?
What are the potential risks and side effects of my treatment?
In what ways will treatment affect or change my normal activities?
What about alternative therapies?

What is my prognosis?

This is often the first question asked by patients after being diagnosed with lung cancer. You may see estimates that say how long a person may live after being diagnosed with a particular type or stage of lung cancer and assume that this is what will happen to you. Don’t think this way. Don’t do it for these reasons:

1. (Most important) You are not a statistic. Statistics cannot predict what will happen to you. You are a unique individual with your own health issues. The statistics estimate the average survival for all people with that type or stage of lung cancer. Although the type and stage of lung cancer will influence how well you do, you are not “everyone else”; you are not among the cases that make up the statistics. Read a physician's perspective on this issue here.
    
2. (Also important) The statistics are based on old information – many from studies that were done years ago. Today’s newer therapies have not been around long enough to affect the statistics, so the outcome for your disease may be far more hopeful than the statistics suggest.

For a personal perspective on statistics in a cancer diagnosis, we recommend Stephen Jay Gould's The Median isn't the Message. You may want to ignore the survival statistics for lung cancer, so feel free to skip the next link. If you feel you have to know the numbers, click here to see a table of five-year survival rates.

The chances of being cured of lung cancer depend mostly upon what stage of lung cancer you have. Early stage cancer is the easiest to treat and has the best chance of being cured. If the cancer has spread to other places in the body, the goals of treatment are to keep the cancer under control for as long as possible. Doctors are often able to do this with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.

If you read or are told your cancer cannot be cured, remember that incurable cancer does not always mean that the cancer can’t be treated. Newer treatments are helping some lung cancer patients live good lives for years.

What steps should I take before considering my treatment options?

More and more, the choice of treatments and/or clinical trial options depends on the specific genetic characteristics of your tumor. You should ask your doctor about whether genetic testing of your tumor is appropriate for you. In some instances, this testing may require an additional sample of your tumor. Information from the genetic testing may help guide specific treatment choices for you now and/or in the future.

What are my treatment choices? Which are recommended for me? Why?

Your treatment options will be based on the particular stage and type of lung cancer you have and where the cancer is located. Your treatment plan may include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and/or targeted therapy. For more information about these treatment options, click here. You may want to consider a clinical trial as part of your treatment choices. You may also want to start a notebook or diary to keep track of your treatment plan. Click here to access a form you can download to keep track of your treatment plan and summary.

For a list of questions to ask your doctor, click here.

How long will my treatment last?

The length of your treatment will depend on the type and stage of lung cancer your have, and how well you respond to treatment. Your treatment plan will be explained to you before therapy begins. If you have questions, be sure to ask them. You will be checked at regular intervals, or if you have any unexpected problems. If your cancer does not respond to the first treatment you receive, other treatments may be discussed with you.

Should I consider joining a clinical trial?

Clinical trials are a special kind of research used to see how well new drugs, treatments or tests work, or to find out more about cancer or other diseases. Many patients feel they get more attention, care and more frequent check-ups if they participate in a clinical trial. Click here for more information on clinical trials.

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How much will my treatment cost? How do I find out what my insurance covers?

The costs depend on the kind of insurance you have, the treatments you need and whether you get them at home, in a clinic or in a hospital. For instance, most health insurance policies, Medicare and Medicaid cover most of the cost of many different types of chemotherapy. Cancer centers and most hospitals have patient assistance departments that should be able to help you find out what your insurance will cover and whether you qualify for assistance. Click here for more information about organizations that can help with money matters.

What are the potential risks and side effects of my treatment?

The answer to this question is different for each person and for each treatment. In recent years, doctors have become much better at knowing about and treating side effects that might occur with a cancer treatment. For example, there are now drugs to treat nausea, constipation, low red cell blood counts and low white blood cell counts that may result from chemotherapy. Some chemotherapy drugs and treatments cause little or no hair loss. Treatments for pain are better than ever. Radiation now can be given very precisely to reduce damage to normal cells. Incisions for surgery are smaller and operations can be done that save muscle and speed recovery times.

Ask your team of care specialists to fully explain the possible risks and side effects of your treatment.

In what ways will treatment affect or change my normal activities?

It is always important to remember that each patient is different so no one answer fits everyone.

If you have surgery, you will need time to recover. This usually takes eight to 12 weeks, and depends on your general health, the type of surgery you have and how well you heal.

If you have chemotherapy, you may feel more tired than usual. This is generally caused by decreased blood counts. Low blood counts also lower your natural protection against disease. You may need to adjust your schedule so you have extra rest periods on the days when your blood counts are lowest. You also will want to be especially careful not to be around people who are sick with the flu, a cold or other infectious disease. Ask your doctor to tell you when your red and white blood cell counts will be low.

What about alternative therapies?

When you have been diagnosed with lung cancer, you may hear about “alternative therapies,” such as herbal remedies, dietary supplements, massage therapy, acupuncture or chiropractic treatments. While some of these therapies may be helpful in managing pain or side effects of treatment, they are never a substitute or replacement for proven medical treatments prescribed by the specialists on your cancer care team. Also, some of these alternatives may be harmful to you. They may cause problems with the treatment you are receiving or keep it from working. Always talk with your cancer specialists before taking part in any alternative therapy plan. To read Dr. Kyle Holen, a University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center oncologist, respond to common cancer myths, click here.

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This information is not designed to be a substitute for medical advice provided by your treatment team.

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