Lung cancer survival rates are based around a five-year standard for patients. How long stage 4 lung cancer patients live depends on each particular case. However, those diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer (or cancer that has spread from the lungs) statistically have a 5.8% five-year survival rate, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
Stage 4 is considered the final stage in a doctor’s diagnosis for a lung cancer patient. It is the most serious, most advanced stage of this deadly disease. Stage 4 cancer is when cancer has spread (metastasized) throughout a person’s lungs and other parts of the body. How long stage 4 lung cancer patients live depends on each particular case.
Stage 4 lung cancer is known as metastatic lung cancer, which affects various bodily organs, including kidneys, and can also spread to a person’s bones, and even to the brain. Secondary tumors, also called metastatic tumors, play into Stage 4 cancer diagnoses as well.
When a person’s cancer has reached stage 4, in most cases, it is too late for doctors to treat the symptoms. This stage is when a patient is given palliative care, which is mostly concerned with supporting the patient’s overall health and wellness with serious illness. Support for spouses, loved ones, and family members is also given during this stage.
Symptoms During Stage 4 Lung Cancer
The symptoms of stage 4 lung cancer are pretty recognizable by doctors. Unfortunately, because of the long latency period of lung cancer, these symptoms may all start to appear in this late stage, rather than in an earlier stage when doctors might be able to treat the cancer more successfully.
According to the American Cancer Society, here are some of the symptoms of stage 4 lung cancer:
- Chronic coughing
- Bodily pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Extreme fatigue
- Bloody cough
- Weight loss
Stages of Lung Cancer
According to the NCI, doctors stage lung cancer using various techniques to determine if the cancer has progressed into other parts of the body. However, when talking about lung cancer to a patient, they will often use stages 1 through 4 to identify the cancer’s severity:
- Stage 0: A patient has abnormal cell growth, but the cells have yet to spread. This stage is not considered cancer, but it is likely to become cancer.
- Stages 1-3: Cancer has been found in a patient. The tumor in stages 1 to 3 are definitely larger than that in stage 1, and it has spread throughout the body. The higher the stage, the farther the cancer has spread.
- Stage 4: This is a deadly stage when long-latent symptoms have started to arise, and the cancer has spread widely throughout the body, the lungs, and possibly to the brain.
For a free legal consultation, call (800) 217-6099
Asbestos-related Lung Cancer
If your lung cancer is mesothelioma, then there’s a very good chance that your lung cancer is a result of being exposed to asbestos in a work environment. If this is the case, and you are now in stage 4 of your lung cancer, you may be able to take legal action to receive a financial payout.
Cancer patients and their loved ones can work with attorneys to file a mesothelioma lawsuit. This lawsuit would bring a claim of negligence against the manufacturer or insurer of the asbestos products for hospital costs, prescription costs, emotional and physical costs, and other damages.
To bring a successful mesothelioma lawsuit to court to win damages, a plaintiff must prove the circumstances of being exposed to asbestos. For instance, it must be proven as to where, when, and how the plaintiff was exposed to asbestos, which company was responsible for the exposure, and how long the plaintiff has had lung cancer from this asbestos exposure.
With all the right evidence in hand, the plaintiff would work closely with a lung cancer law firm to seek compensation from the manufacturer. These financial settlements can give the cancer sufferer peace of mind knowing that the family and loved ones would be financially taken care of after their passing.
Call Our Team Today
Stage 4 lung cancer patients often do not have very long to live. This is why it can be helpful to contact a law firm to help with your case. We can take care of the specifics while you focus on your comfort and your family during this time.
Call the team at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm to schedule a discussion about filing a negligence claim for the asbestos exposure and resulting lung cancer at (800) 217-6099.
Our staff of attorneys can work with you to learn more about your particular case, initiate the legal steps involved, and protect your rights through the entire trial proceeding. Contact us today to learn more about receiving compensation for your lung cancer.
Call or text (800) 217-6099 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
