Lung Cancer Staging

Boehringer Ingelheim

More than two-thirds of lung cancers are diagnosed at a late stage, when the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, meaning curative treatment is not possible.¹

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common form of lung cancer, comprising 85% of lung cancer cases. Prognosis and treatment for NSCLC is dependent on the stage of the disease:

• In early-stage NSCLC, surgery offers the greatest chance of cure for patients with this form of lung cancer; however, only 20% have operable disease at this presentation² Chemotherapy is sometimes used after surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy) to reduce recurrence.

• Stage III (late-stage) tumours can be cured in some cases, but cure rates are much lower than in earlier-stage NSCLC²

• Patients with stage IV disease are rarely cured, and the goals of therapy are to extend and improve their quality of life

For some patients in stage III or IV with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC, newer targeted treatments may also be used.

If you want to find out more about lung cancer, please launch the full animated infographic.

1. Cancer Research UK. CancerStats key facts on lung cancer and smoking. CancerStats – Key Facts 2009. (Online) Available at http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/lung/ (Last accessed October 2011)

2. Peedell C. 2005. Introduction – the cancer problem. Concise Clinical Oncology, Feb, pp. 233-244

Source for healthcare professionals: www.inoncology.com
* Nintedanib (BIBF 1120), afatinib (BIBW 2992) and volasertib (BI 6727) are investigational compounds. Their safety and efficacy have not yet been fully established.

† Not an official event of the 2012 ASCO Annual Meeting. Not sponsored or endorsed by ASCO or the Conquer Cancer Foundation.

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