NSCLC stage 3b/4 life expectancy

[Debrad]

I have a very close friend who was just diagnosed with either stage 3b or 4 squamous cell lung cancer.  I am trying to find information about his life expectancy, in order to help family make plans. He is 58 yrs old and has asthma, sleep apnea, diabetes and is overweight.  He was diagnosed by cancer cells removed from a pleural effusion of blood and fluid.  They inserted 2 chest tubes to drain it, after 2 days one tube was removed because the fluid was greatly decreased; 1 tube remained. But the fluid came back because the tube clotted with blood and it couldn't drain. They are going to put a clot dissolver in soon to try and open the tube again so it will drain.
I realize this is a bad sign, but how bad?
Are we looking at weeks or months?
Since he's overweight, won't that make him live longer (cancer patients are so thin when they die)?

[jlampley]

Hello,
My mother is 46, was diagnosed with stage 3b nsclc, and now they believe that it has spread to the neck and god forbid the brain. She started round 2 of chemo on monday and the side effects are kicking her butt, so she has decided to not go on with treatment any longer. I don't want to believe what the doctor has told me about how long she will be here, but they said 9 to 15 months WITHOUT treatment. Do you agree with them or should we go for a second opinion? Thanks

[sreeja03]

My father is 66 years old and is suffereing from CA lungs, 3B stage. He finished 6 cycles on chemo. However is suffering from acute pnemonia which is not going...He also had a stroke after 3 cycle and has a 90 % blood clot near the neck for which he is taking ecosprin. Now he has sever cough and blood stains in the spetum. When a CT scan was done it was noticed that the tumour has increased, Doctors suggest another 6 cycles of chemo. He is very weak and we are not sure what to do..Do we go for the chemo or any other way to go about it????

[johnanard]

I am 37 and have stage 3b lung cancer found out 3 weeks ago, i am still awaiting to be fitted in to a mold, that is for when radaition starts im in the same position everytime. I also will be doing radiation and chemo at the same time. I have never seen more doctors in my life. I am also curiouse about how long I have. What put me in stage 3b was its on my lymtph nodes now, But it only so far confined on the right lung. I do feel some chest pain and is some what worried. The fact that I have cancer really has not taken a toll on me because I want to be this. Maybe I dont know how to handle this. I have good days and bad days and did not even start treatment yet. This *****

[suebedoo]

My mom has been diagnosed with Stage 3b/4 nsclc and will begin radiation and chemo immediately.  She also has pleural effusion and the doctors are taking out the chest tube and inserting a catheter.  I am hopeful to shrink the cancer enough to get her airways unblocked and she can leave the hospital.  I keep getting the feeling the doctors don't want to tell me how bad this is.  I myself am preparing for the worse, but i would like to know what your opinion is.  Thanks,

[HeinrikMD]

Hi,

The estimates of survival are based on patient populations - this would include patients with varying outcomes - so applying them to the individual patient is  difficult.

In general, those who are stage 3 have a 1 year survival rate of around 50%, the stage 4 is around 20%. Conservatively, the chances would be around those figures.

The presence of the fluid makes the estimate lean closer to a stage 4 grouping, rather than if it was absent.

Cancer does make patients thinner. However, being overweight or obese does not improve survival. Theoretically, it is lean mass that counts, not fat.