Lung Cancer Remission

Lung cancer is in remission when a patient has fewer or no symptoms and tumors have shrunk or vanished on scans. Lung cancer patients can often live longer when in remission, and for some, the cancer may never come back. Treatments can help you work toward lung cancer remission.

Free Case Review
Written and Fact-Checked by: Lung Cancer Group

Can Lung Cancer Go Into Remission?

Yes, lung cancer can go into remission (where signs and symptoms of the disease disappear or lessen).

Infographic showing 35 percent of small cell lung cancer patients and 80 percent of non-small cell lung cancer patients achieve partial remissionLung cancer in remission doesn’t mean you’re cured, but you or a loved one could have a much better prognosis (overall health outlook) as a result.

The best way to achieve remission is to get treatments that can destroy as much of the cancer as possible.

Lung Cancer Remission Quick Facts

  • Roughly 57% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients were still in remission 2 years after treatments in a 2021 Annals of Translational Medicine report.
  • A 2021 Current Oncology study noted that 27.1% of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients remained in remission following treatment.
  • Lung cancer remission rates depend on the type of lung cancer, stage, available treatments, and other factors.
  • Some patients have lived for 15 years or more in remission, becoming long-term lung cancer survivors.

Get a Free Lung Cancer Guide to learn about treatments that can help you achieve remission and how to pay for them.

Get Our Free Lung Cancer Guide
  • Understand risk factors
  • Find top treatments
  • Pursue compensation
Get the Guide

Types of Lung Cancer Remission

There are several types of lung cancer remission, and each can greatly impact how long you’ll live.

Types of lung cancer remission include:

  • Complete remission: You have no evidence of disease (NED) on imaging tests or scans.
  • Partial remission: Lung cancer may still be present, but tumors have shrunk.
  • Spontaneous remission: The cancer disappears or shrinks with no treatment. This is incredibly rare. You’ll need treatment in almost all cases to achieve remission.
  • Stable disease: The cancer doesn’t shrink but also stops growing. It can be unsettling to know you still have cancer, but long-term survivorship may still be possible.

Your doctor will tell you if your lung cancer has gone into remission and recommend ways for you to live as long as possible.

Lung Cancer Recurrence After Remission

Lung cancer recurrence or relapse happens when the cancer comes back after a period of remission. Most lung cancer tumors recur within five years of treatment.

SCLC is much more likely to recur than NSCLC. Over 90% of SCLC cases return within two years, compared to roughly 60% of NSCLC cancer cases.

Your medical team will monitor you to catch any signs of cancer recurrence and recommend follow-up treatments to hopefully send the cancer back into remission.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Remission

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common type of lung cancer and responds well to treatments.

Statistics about NSCLC remission include:

  • Up to 80% of NSCLC patients achieved at least partial remission when treated with immunotherapy and surgery in a 2020 Translational Lung Cancer Research report.
  • A 2019 study from Respiratory Research found that 7.3% of stage 3 NSCLC patients and 1.8% of stage 4 patients achieved complete remission.
  • Only 9-11% of NSCLC patients who were cancer-free after 5 years experienced recurrence in the following 5 years, as noted by a 2023 Oncology and Therapy report.

Call (877) 446-5767 to find help affording treatments that can improve your odds of lung cancer remission.

Small Cell Lung Cancer Remission

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is rarer and harder to treat than NSCLC. However, remission could still be possible.

In a 2016 BMC Cancer Study, SCLC remission rates were encouraging among patients treated with chemotherapy and radiation.

The study found that:

  • 35% of SCLC patients achieved full remission.
  • 42% entered partial remission following a combination of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.
  • Nearly all the other patients achieved stable disease.

Your cancer care team can recommend treatments to help achieve remission, depending on the unique factors in your case.

Treatments to Achieve Lung Cancer Remission

Different lung cancer treatments allow doctors to remove and destroy tumor cells, giving you the best chance of achieving remission. Learn about top treatment options to become cancer-free below.

Lung Cancer Surgery

Nurse talks with lung cancer patientWith surgery, oncologists (cancer doctors) remove lung cancer tumors and diseased tissue. It is very effective for NSCLC, giving many early-stage patients a better chance of remission.

Surgery is rarely used for SCLC, but doctors may recommend it if the cancer is in a very early stage.

Get a Free Lung Cancer Guide to learn more about treatments like surgery that could send your lung cancer into remission and how to afford them.

Get Our Free Lung Cancer Guide
  • Understand risk factors
  • Find top treatments
  • Pursue compensation
Get the Guide

Lung Cancer Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells, which could allow patients to reach lung cancer remission.

Common chemotherapy drugs used for lung cancer treatment include:

  • Carboplatin
  • Cisplatin
  • Pemetrexed

Doctors often use multiple chemotherapy drugs to destroy as much of the cancer as possible, especially in early-stage cases.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses concentrated beams of energy to shrink tumors and kill cancer cells. It’s typically used with other treatments like chemotherapy.

For example, it may be provided proactively to prevent metastasis (spread to other parts of the body) in SCLC patients who enter remission after chemotherapy, according to a 2023 Radiation Oncology report.

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is medication that helps your immune system find and destroy cancer cells.

In a 2021 Respiratory Medicine Case Reports study, two patients with a type of NSCLC called adenocarcinoma achieved complete lung cancer remission with immunotherapy.

Multimodal Therapy

Cancer centers often use multimodal therapy (several treatments together) to help lung cancer patients achieve remission.

In a 2020 Cureus study, a 71-year-old woman received radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery after a lung cancer diagnosis.

Though tumors had spread to her brain, she achieved complete remission for 9 years — greatly outliving the typical life expectancy for advanced cancer.

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials study new treatments for lung cancer. Some patients achieve lung cancer remission or live longer by getting treatments from trials.

Nancy Hale lived for 12 years in part thanks to an immunotherapy trial offered by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute that sent her stage 4 lung cancer into remission. She only had a 30% chance of surviving three years after her diagnosis.

Get help affording treatments that could potentially send your lung cancer into remission. Contact us now to learn more.

Factors That Influence Lung Cancer Remission

Outside of getting treatments, factors unique to each person’s case will affect their chances of achieving lung cancer remission.

Factors that may affect lung cancer remission include:

  • Age: Younger patients are more likely to enter remission as they can typically receive and recover from more aggressive treatments.
  • Lifestyle: Eating a healthy diet, performing low-stress exercises like walking, sleeping well, and staying hydrated can help your body fight lung cancer.
  • Overall health: Cancer is less likely to go into remission if you have poor health.
  • Quitting smoking: Not only is smoking a big risk factor for lung cancer, but it also makes it harder for your body to fight tumors.
Did You Know?

In a 2023 Hematology/Oncology and Stem Cell Therapy report, researchers noted that measuring this ratio using blood samples could help predict if lung cancer could recur after remission.

Doctors can determine how likely lung cancer remission is in your case by assessing these factors and how your body responds to treatments.

Get a Free Lung Cancer Guide to learn more about working toward remission and steps to take to live longer.

Get Our Free Lung Cancer Guide
  • Understand risk factors
  • Find top treatments
  • Pursue compensation
Get the Guide

We Can Help You Work Toward Lung Cancer Remission

While a lung cancer diagnosis can bring uncertainty, remission may be possible even in later stages.

At Lung Cancer Group, we’re ready to help patients and families navigate life after a diagnosis and find resources that could allow them to reach remission.

Work with Lung Cancer Group to:

  • Afford treatments that can send lung cancer into remission
  • Get a better understanding of lung cancer remission rates
  • Learn which treatments could help in your case

Don’t wait: Call (877) 446-5767 to get started right now. Our team stands ready to assist you and your family.

Lung Cancer Remission FAQs

Can stage 4 lung cancer go into remission?

Yes, it is possible for stage 4 lung cancer to go into remission. In a 2019 study, 1.8% of stage 4 NSCLC patients achieved remission.

The best way to achieve remission after a stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis is to get treated. For example, stage 4 lung cancer patient Nancy Hale went into remission for six years after getting immunotherapy in a clinical trial.

Call (877) 446-5767 for help paying for treatments that could allow you to live as long as possible.

Yes, it’s possible for small cell lung cancer (SCLC) to go into remission. You’ll have a better chance of achieving SCLC remission if your cancer is diagnosed and treated before it spreads.

Lung cancer remission rate is the number of patients whose tumors shrink or vanish following treatments. Rates vary by study but can help give you an idea of what to expect.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients had a remission rate of 57% in the 2 years after treatments in a 2021 Annals of Translational Medicine report.

In a 2016 study, 35% of SCLC patients achieved full remission, and 42% reached partial remission, thanks to chemotherapy and radiation.

Lung cancer often comes back after remission. This is known as recurrence. Roughly 90% of SCLC patients and 60% of NSCLC patients experienced a recurrence within two years.

Lung cancer is most likely to recur within 5 years after treatment. Since SCLC is more aggressive, this cancer usually recurs within 1 year after a patient receives their initial treatments.

Contact us now to explore options to pay for treatment if you have recurrent lung cancer. If eligible, you may qualify for compensation.

Lung cancer can stay in remission for very long periods of time, depending on how the cancer responds to treatments. Many patients have lived for 15 years or more cancer-free.

Yes, it may be possible to fully recover from lung cancer with the right treatment plan.

Treatments can send lung cancer into long-term or permanent remission in some cases, allowing patients to have full lives.

Even if full recovery isn’t possible, treatment may help shrink tumors, ease symptoms of lung cancer, and improve your quality of life.

Lung Cancer Group was established by a team of caring advocates so those with lung cancer and other asbestos-related diseases can get the help they deserve. Our site provides the most accurate and up-to-date information about lung cancer, its link to asbestos, and financial compensation available to patients. Contact us to learn more and get assistance.

  1. American Cancer Society. Managing Cancer as a Chronic Illness. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.cancer.org/treatment/survivorship-during-and-after-treatment/long-term-health-concerns/cancer-as-a-chronic-illness.html.
  2. BMC Cancer. (2015). Evaluation of the role of remission status in a heterogeneous limited disease small-cell lung cancer patient cohort treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4791754/.
  3. Chan, A., et al. (June 2023). Predicting if Lung Cancer Will Relapse–The Role of Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://journals.lww.com/hosct/fulltext/2023/16020/predicting_if_lung_cancer_will_relapse_the_role_of.10.aspx
  4. Clinical Lung Cancer. (2020). Timing, sites, and correlates of lung cancer recurrence. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7061059/.
  5. Cureus. (2020). Case of Complete Remission from Palliative Radiation in Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer With Large Brain Metastasis Nine Years After Diagnosis: Cure Is Possible. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7515215/.
  6. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. (2018). Stage IV Lung Cancer Patient in Remission for Years After Immunotherapy. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2018/07/stage-iv-lung-cancer-patient-remission-years-immunotherapy/.
  7. Vassik, M., et al. (2023, April 18). Factors associated with overall survival, progression-free survival and toxicity in patients with small cell lung cancer and thoracic irradiation in a clinical real-world setting. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13014-023-02252-1.
  8. Matulewicz, R.S., Sherman, S., Bjurlin, M.A. (2020). Smoking Cessation and Cancer Survivorship. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2771610.
  9. Morgan, H., et al. (2021, August 10). What is the Definition of Cure in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer? Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40487-021-00163-3.
  10. Moser, S., et al. (2021, January 8). Real World Analysis of Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: Prognostic Factors and Treatment Outcomes. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.mdpi.com/1718-7729/28/1/36.
  11. Mount Sinai (2022). Lung Cancer Screening Dramatically Increases Long-term Survival Rate. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/2022/lung-cancer-screening-dramatically-increases-long-term-survival-rate.
  12. National Cancer Institute. Immunotherapy to Treat Cancer. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy.
  13. National Cancer Institute. Understanding Cancer Prognosis. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/diagnosis-staging/prognosis.
  14. Respiratory Medicine Case Reports. (2021). Complete remission of advanced lung adenocarcinoma with first-line pembrolizumab monotherapy: Two case reports. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213007121001313.
  15. Respira Research. (2019). Analysis of key clinical features for achieving complete remission in stage III and IV non-small cell lung cancer patients. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://respiratory-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12931-019-1235-3.
  16. Science Translational Medicine (2020). Reactivation of dormant tumor cells by modified lipids derived from stress-activated neutrophils. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33268511/.
  17. Thoracic Cancer. (2021). Complete spontaneous remission of small cell lung cancer in the absence of specific treatment: A case report. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1759-7714.14124/.
  18. Translational Lung Cancer Research. (2020). Expert consensus on neoadjuvant immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7815365/.
  19. Translational Lung Cancer Research. (2014). Recurrence after surgery in patients with NSCLC. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4367696/
  20. Translational Oncology. (2021). The spontaneous remission of cancer: Current insights and therapeutic significance. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1936523321001583.
  21. World Journal of Clinical Cases. (2018) Achievable complete remission of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: Case report and review of the literature. Retrieved September 20, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6068813/.
Free Case Review

Get Financial Compensation for Lung Cancer

  • Afford medical expenses and any other bills
  • Find peace of mind for you and your family
  • Get justice from the companies that harmed you

Call (877) 446-5767 or fill out the form to connect with our team and pursue financial compensation after a lung cancer diagnosis.

Start a Free Case Review
I understand by submitting this form that I am providing my consent to be contacted by Sokolove Law and its co-counsel, potentially using automated technology, at the number provided regarding my potential claim/their services. Consent is not required to use their services. Msg frequency varies, and message and data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help or STOP to unsubscribe. SMS Terms of Service. I understand and agree that by submitting this form I agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and that this form does not create an attorney-client relationship and is not confidential or privileged and may be shared.

Secure Submission

Call us at (877) 446-5767 Talk to us via Live Chat