Outlook

Overall (including all types and stages of lung cancer), 16% of people with lung cancer survive for at least five years. Survival rates tend to be low when compared to the 65% five-year survival rate for colon cancer, 89% for breast cancer, and over 99% for prostate cancer.

* People who have stage I NSCLC and undergo lung surgery have a 60%-70% chance of surviving five years.

* People with stage II NSCLC have a 30%-40% chance of cure, and those with stage IIIa have a 20%-30% chance of cure.

* People with extensive nonoperable lung cancer have an average survival duration of nine months or less.

* Those with limited SCLC who receive chemotherapy have a two-year survival rate of 20%-30% and a five-year survival rate of 10%-15%.

* Less than 5% of people with extensive-stage SCLC (small cell cancers) are alive after two years, with a median survival range of eight to 13 months.