Lung Cancer Survival Rates Explained

Medically Reviewed By Julie Scott, DNP, ANP-BC, AOCNP

Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer. Various factors can affect the survival rate of this type of cancer. These include gender, age, and stage of cancer.

These figures are estimates and based on previous medical studies. Survival depends on many factors. Talk with your doctor about the outlook for your specific condition. 

This article will explain the survival rates of lung cancer. It will break down these rates by gender, age, race, type of cancer, and stage of cancer. It will also explain how to interpret these rates and how high the risk of recurrence is.

Types of lung cancer

Female leaning against a wall in the sunlight
Justin Paget/Getty Images

There are two main types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer.

Non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for around 80 to 85% of lung cancers Trusted Source American Cancer Society Highly respected international organization Go to source , according to the American Cancer Society. The main subtypes of NSCLC are:

Each subtype begins from different types of cells. They are grouped together due to their similar prognosis and treatment.

Small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is sometimes called oat cell cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, around 10 to 15% of lung cancers Trusted Source American Cancer Society Highly respected international organization Go to source are SCLC.

This type of lung cancer spreads faster than NSCLC typically does. Most people with SCLC find that it has already spread by the time they receive a diagnosis.

Learn more about lung cancer.

Lung cancer survival rates by gender

According to the American Cancer Society, females are slightly more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than males. In 2022, there were approximately 118,830 new cases of lung cancer Trusted Source American Cancer Society Highly respected international organization Go to source in females in the United States. In males, there were 117,910 cases.

Females may be more likely to develop lung cancer. However, males have a lower survival rate. Of the approximately 130,180 estimated U.S. deaths due to lung cancer in 2022, 68,820 were males.

Studies have also shown Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source that females assigned at birth have higher 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates than males assigned at birth. However, more research is needed to fully understand the reasons for this.

Lung cancer survival rates by age

Lung cancer is more common in older people. According to the American Cancer Society Trusted Source American Cancer Society Highly respected international organization Go to source , most people are diagnosed with lung cancer at 65 years or older. The average age for diagnosis is 70.

Only a small number of people younger than 45 years old are diagnosed with lung cancer.

The 5-year survival rate is highest in younger adults, according to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program Trusted Source National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program Governmental authority Go to source . This rate then decreases with increasing age, with people older than 80 having the lowest survival rate.

Lung cancer survival rates by race

According to the American Lung Association, Black people are more likely to develop and die from lung cancer than any other race or ethnic group. Black males are 12% more likely Trusted Source American Cancer Society Highly respected international organization Go to source to have lung cancer than white males.

Studies show Trusted Source PubMed Central Highly respected database from the National Institutes of Health Go to source that Hispanic people have a lower rate of lung cancer cases than non-Hispanics. This also shows that despite other variables such as cigarette smoking, race and ethnicity seem to play some role in the development and survival rate of lung cancer.

Learn more about lung cancer risk in Black males.

Lung cancer survival rates by stage

Cancer of any type is separated into stages. Each stage depends on:

  • where the cancer is
  • how much lymph node involvement is present
  • how big the primary tumor is
  • how much the cancer has spread

Typically, the stages of cancer range from 1 to 4. The higher the number, the more severe the cancer. Approximately 55% of people Trusted Source JAMA Peer reviewed journal Go to source diagnosed with lung cancer are already at stage 4 at the time of diagnosis.

The survival rate of lung cancer varies by each stage.

Non-small cell lung cancer stage5-year survival rate with treatment
Stage 154%
Stage 235%
Stage 3A10-15%
Stage 3Bless than 5%
Stage 4less than 2%

NSCLC survival rates

The American Cancer Society Trusted Source American Cancer Society Highly respected international organization Go to source uses the SEER system to evaluate the survival rates of NSCLC. This system uses the following stages:

  • Localized: There are no signs that the cancer has spread outside of the lungs.
  • Regional: The cancer has spread outside of the lungs to the nearby lymph nodes.
  • Distant: The cancer has spread to other areas of the body such as the brain, bones, or other lung.

The relative survival rates for NSCLC for these stages are:

  • Localized: 64% survival rate
  • Regional: 37% survival rate
  • Distant: 8% survival rate

SCLC survival rates

Using the SEER stages, the American Cancer Society Trusted Source American Cancer Society Highly respected international organization Go to source shows the relative survival rates for SCLC as follows:

  • Localized: 29% survival rate
  • Regional: 18% survival rate
  • Distant: 3% survival rate

Survival rates explained

Survival rate refers to the number of people who are still alive for a specific length of time after a particular diagnosis. 

For example, a 5-year survival rate of 50% of people means that half of the people are still alive 5 years after their diagnosis. 

A relative survival rate is used to give an idea Trusted Source American Cancer Society Highly respected international organization Go to source of how long someone with a specific condition may live after their diagnosis compared with someone without the condition. 

For example, a 5-year survival rate of 70% means that someone with that condition is 70% as likely to live for 5 years as someone without the condition. 

It is important to remember that these figures are estimates and based on previous medical studies. Talk with your doctor about the outlook for your specific condition. 

Risk of lung cancer recurrence

Your risk of recurrence of lung cancer depends on:

  • the type
  • the stage
  • the treatment
  • lifestyle factors, such as smoking

The NSCLC has a 30 to 77% rate of recurrence after surgery.

Ongoing research and treatment development is helping decrease the rate of recurrence in those with lung cancer.

Summary

Many factors play a role in the survival rate of lung cancer, including:

  • gender
  • age
  • race
  • stage of cancer
  • type of cancer

All survival rate statistics are based on studies and comparisons. It is important to discuss your individual case and circumstances with your doctor. They can give you a more personalized estimate on survival and help you choose the most effective treatment plan.

Was this helpful?
164
  1. Cancer staging systems. (n.d.). https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/cancer-programs/american-joint-committee-on-cancer/cancer-staging-systems/
  2. Elkbuli, A., et al. (2020). Gender disparities in lung cancer survival from an enriched Florida population-based cancer registry. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7723764/
  3. Five-year survival rates. (n.d.). https://training.seer.cancer.gov/lung/intro/survival.html
  4. Key statistics for lung cancer. (2022). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
  5. Lung and bronchus recent trends in SEER incidence(2000-2019) and U.S. mortality(2000-2020) rates. (n.d.). https://seer.cancer.gov/statistics-network/explorer/application.html?site=47&data_type=9&graph_type=2&compareBy=rate_type&chk_rate_type_1=1&chk_rate_type_2=2&chk_rate_type_3=3&sex=1&race=1&age_range=9&hdn_stage=101&advopt_precision=1&advopt_show_ci=on&hdn_view=0&advopt_display=2#graphArea
  6. Lung cancer fact sheet. (n.d.). https://www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/resource-library/lung-cancer-fact-sheet
  7. Lung cancer survival rates. (2022). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/survival-rates.html
  8. Lung cancer survival statistics. (n.d.). https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/lung-cancer/survival
  9. Schabath, M.B., et al. (2017). Racial and ethnic differences in the epidemiology of lung cancer and the lung cancer genome. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5340153/
  10. Subotic, D., et al. (2016). Optimising treatment for post-operative lung cancer recurrence. https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/47/2/374
  11. Uhligh, J., et al. (2019). Comparison of survival rates after a combination of local treatment and systemic therapy vs systemic therapy alone for treatment of stage iv non–small cell lung cancer. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2748594
  12. What is lung cancer? (2019). https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/about/what-is.html

Medical Reviewer: Julie Scott, DNP, ANP-BC, AOCNP
Last Review Date: 2022 Sep 7
View All Lung Cancer Articles
THIS TOOL DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. It is intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never ignore professional medical advice in seeking treatment because of something you have read on the site. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your doctor or dial 911.