Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStage 1 Lung CancerSymptomsCan It Be Cured?TreatmentRemissionRecurrence
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Stage 1 Lung Cancer
Symptoms
Can It Be Cured?
Treatment
Remission
Recurrence
Stage 1 lung cancer tumors can often be removed with surgery, though your healthcare provider may also recommend other treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy.
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What Is Stage 1 Lung Cancer?
Stage 1 lung cancerdescribes an early stage of the disease.Lung cancer is stagedaccording to the TNM classification system. This model is based on:
Staging helps healthcare providers and cancer specialists calledoncologiststo develop your treatment protocol and give you a general idea of your prognosis (likely outcome).
Coping With a Lung Cancer DiagnosisIt is normal to experience emotional changes like anxiety, depression, distress, anger, and fear after a lung cancer diagnosis. You may find it helpful to take up journaling, practice relaxation techniques, talk to a mental health professional, or join a support group.It is also important to maintain a healthy lifestyle during and after treatment.
Coping With a Lung Cancer Diagnosis
It is normal to experience emotional changes like anxiety, depression, distress, anger, and fear after a lung cancer diagnosis. You may find it helpful to take up journaling, practice relaxation techniques, talk to a mental health professional, or join a support group.It is also important to maintain a healthy lifestyle during and after treatment.
Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Stages
Non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for 84% of all cases.
NSCLC is staged on a scale of 0 to 4 using the TNM classification system.
Stage 1A tumors can be further broken down into stages 1A1, 1A2, and 1A3:
Tumor growth in stage 1 lung cancer can affect the primary airway for the lungs (bronchus), the inner lining of the lung (visceral pleura), and other areas of the lung that may lead to the collapse of a lung (atelectasis).
Small Cell Lung Cancer Stages
Small cell lung cancer(SCLC), also known as oat cell cancer, is less common and accounts for approximately 15% of cases.
SCLC breaks down into these two stages:
Using the TNM staging system, stages 0–3 are considered limited-stage SCLC.Approximately two out of three people with SCLC have extensive-stage SCLC (stage 4) when their cancer is diagnosed.
Techniques for Better Breathing
Stage 1 Lung Cancer Symptoms
Stage 1 non-small celllung canceris small and contained within the lungs, and many patients do not have symptoms indicating cancer is present. Others do experience symptoms including:
How do stage 1 lung cancer symptoms differ in men and women?Women are more likely to develop lung cancer affecting the outer edges of the lungs. Common symptoms of lung cancer in women include appetite loss, fatigue, insomnia, and shortness of breath.Men are more likely to develop tumors within the airways (bronchi), which cause symptoms like bloody phlegm, coughing, and recurrent airway infections, such as bronchitis.
How do stage 1 lung cancer symptoms differ in men and women?
Women are more likely to develop lung cancer affecting the outer edges of the lungs. Common symptoms of lung cancer in women include appetite loss, fatigue, insomnia, and shortness of breath.Men are more likely to develop tumors within the airways (bronchi), which cause symptoms like bloody phlegm, coughing, and recurrent airway infections, such as bronchitis.
Women are more likely to develop lung cancer affecting the outer edges of the lungs. Common symptoms of lung cancer in women include appetite loss, fatigue, insomnia, and shortness of breath.
Men are more likely to develop tumors within the airways (bronchi), which cause symptoms like bloody phlegm, coughing, and recurrent airway infections, such as bronchitis.
Is Stage 1 Lung Cancer Curable?
Stage 1 lung cancer is a treatable condition, and many people with this diagnosis have a good prognosis. However, many factors can influence how you will respond to treatment, including:
Healthcare providers hesitate to say that lung cancer is ever truly cured even after successful treatment. There is a chance forlung cancer to recureven if you’ve been in remission for years.
Instead, healthcare providers may use the term “no evidence of disease” (NED). NED means that imaging tests cannot detect cancer in the body, and the patient is symptom-free.
Stage 1 Lung Cancer Survival RateLung cancer is most treatable when detected in its early stages. Thecure rate for lungcancer detected and treated early is as high as 90%.
Stage 1 Lung Cancer Survival Rate
Lung cancer is most treatable when detected in its early stages. Thecure rate for lungcancer detected and treated early is as high as 90%.
Stage 1 Lung Cancer Treatment
Surgery is the first-line treatment for most stage 1 non-small cell lung cancers. Depending on the size and location of the tumor, your healthcare provider may perform one of the following surgical procedures:
Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be a part of your treatment plan if surgery is not an option.
The standard line of treatment for small-cell lung cancer is chemotherapy combined with radiation. Very few people with limited-stage SCLC get surgery.
Surgery outcomes for stage 1 lung cancer vary. In some cases, it may remove all traces of cancer, while at other times it may require ongoing treatments to prevent cancer from metastasizing to other parts of the body.
How fast does stage 1 lung cancer spread?The rate at which NSCLC grows and spreads varies from person to person. Some tumors grow quickly while others grow very little. On average, however, it takes around seven months for an NSCLC lung tumor to double in size.
How fast does stage 1 lung cancer spread?
The rate at which NSCLC grows and spreads varies from person to person. Some tumors grow quickly while others grow very little. On average, however, it takes around seven months for an NSCLC lung tumor to double in size.
Care After Stage 1 Remission
You are in remission if you’ve been cancer-free for one month or more, but lung cancer care doesn’t end there. Your healthcare team will continue to see you for follow-up care in the months and years after you’ve completed treatment. The following may be required from time to time:
Likelihood of Recurrence
Lung cancer recurrencemeans cancer has returned to the lungs or another area of the body. An estimated 30% to 50% of lung cancer patients will experience a recurrence.
The three different types of lung cancer recurrence include:
Lung cancer progression or recurrence typically affects the following areas in the body:
What stage of lung cancer kills you?Lung cancer progresses through four stages. Stage 4 lung cancer is the final stage and can’t usually be cured, though treatments can help you live longer.
What stage of lung cancer kills you?
Lung cancer progresses through four stages. Stage 4 lung cancer is the final stage and can’t usually be cured, though treatments can help you live longer.
Summary
A lung cancer diagnosis can impact both your physical and emotional health. Prioritize care for your mental health throughout cancer treatment and beyond.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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