Cure for Lung Cancer
There isn’t a cure for all cases of lung cancer. With that said, doctors may consider your lung cancer to be “cured” if there’s no evidence of disease following treatment for a long period of time. Get help finding treatments that may lead to a cure for lung cancer in your case.
Can Lung Cancer Be Cured?
Lung cancer isn’t typically considered cured. However, in some cases, early diagnosis and treatment can eliminate all visible lung cancer cells and tumors. This is more likely if the cancer is diagnosed and treated before it spreads.
In these cases, doctors may informally say a patient is “cured.” However, it’s difficult for doctors to guarantee that lung cancer will never come back since malignant cells can remain in your body undetected.
“When it comes to cancer, “cured” may not always be the most appropriate term to use. It’s rare that a doctor can say with 100 percent certainty that cancer won’t come back. It may be highly unlikely for cancer to return, but it’s possible.”
— City of Hope
The best way to work toward a cure for lung cancer is to get aggressive treatments. Even if it’s not possible to eliminate all cancer cells, treatments can help you live as long as possible.
Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide to learn more about lung cancer treatments that could help you or a loved live longer or potentially even be cured.
- Understand risk factors
- Find top treatments
- Pursue compensation
Lung Cancer Cure vs. Remission
Doctors tend to avoid saying “cured” when talking about lung cancer. Instead, they refer to “no evidence of disease” (NED), which is a type of lung cancer remission.
NED is the most successful type of remission, as imaging scans and other tests show no remaining cancer cells and you can resume normal activities.
Lung cancer is sometimes considered cured if a patient remains in NED for at least five years, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI). This is a significant milestone because the risk of recurrence drops over time. But even after this time, lung cancer could still come back.
A cure for lung cancer, or even NED, may not be attainable for every patient. Still, it’s important to understand that doctors will do all they can to help you live as long as possible. Some lung cancer patients have lived much longer than expected, even if they couldn’t be cured.
What Factors Affect Lung Cancer Curability?
The odds of achieving a cure for lung cancer in your case depends on a range of factors and the extent of their impact on your life. This includes the type of cancer, your age, lifestyle, overall health, and smoking status.
Type of Lung Cancer
The two main types of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
Non-small cell lung cancer accounts for over 80% of cases and generally has a better prognosis since it’s easier to treat. Small cell lung cancer is rarer and more aggressive.
Non-small cell lung cancer cure rates are typically higher since this type is easier to treat.
The five-year survival rate for early-stage NSCLC is around 65%, while for SCLC, it’s 20%. These rates decrease significantly for either type of cancer in the later stages.
Cancer Stage
Most cases of lung cancer are classified into different stages depending on cancer spread. Patients with early-stage lung cancer are the most likely to be considered cured following treatment. This is because different therapies can effectively remove all of the cancer tumors.
“These are cancers we can cure. New treatment paradigms are significantly improving our cure rates for people whose lung cancers are caught in the early stages.”
— Dr. Navid Hafez, lung cancer doctor
It may not be possible to fully remove or destroy all lung cancer cells in late-stage cases. Still, patients can potentially live a long time with treatment.
Age
Younger patients often have a better chance of being cured of lung cancer. This is because they are more likely to tolerate aggressive treatments and recover more effectively. Older patients may face other health challenges that can complicate treatment and recovery.
Call (877) 446-5767 for help finding and affording treatments that could mean you reach a cure for lung cancer, no matter your age, stage, and other factors.
Overall Health & Lifestyle
Pre-existing health conditions can have a significant impact on treatment options and effectiveness. Those in good general health are more resilient and better equipped to handle treatments like surgery or chemotherapy, which can take their toll on the body.
In addition, maintaining a healthy lifestyle (getting regular exercise and eating a balanced diet) may help increase the odds of being cured or living longer after a lung cancer diagnosis.
Smoking
If you’re still smoking following a lung cancer diagnosis, quitting can help make treatments more effective and potentially reduce your risk of recurrence (where lung tumors return after a period of remission).
Can Lung Cancer Be Cured With Treatment?
If diagnosed early on, doctors can recommend “curative lung cancer treatments” designed to destroy as much of the cancer as possible.
Remember: Even if a cure for lung cancer isn’t possible in your case, lung cancer treatments are the best way to extend your life expectancy following a diagnosis.
The right treatment for you depends on your unique situation, and may involve a combination of several therapies. Explore top treatments that may allow you to reach a cure for lung cancer.
Lung Cancer Surgery
Surgery offers the best chance of cure or long-term remission for many cases of early-stage lung cancer. Through surgical resection, doctors can often extract all visible lung tumors from the body.
Types of surgery that may help cure lung cancer include:
- Lobectomy
- Pneumonectomy
- Video-assisted (VATS)
- Wedge resection
Thoracic surgeons can recommend different types of surgeries depending on lung cancer spread. They typically combine lung cancer surgery with other treatment options to help destroy unseen cancer cells as well.
Jim Pantelas is living proof that long-term survival, if not a cure, is possible even for late-stage lung cancer patients. Diagnosed with stage 3 asbestos lung cancer, he received surgery as well as chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Jim will celebrate 20 years of survivorship in 2025.
“I’ve lived every minute since that diagnosis as if it was an extra gift.”
– Jim Pantelas, 20-year lung cancer survivor
Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy is used to shrink tumors and destroy cancer cells, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy or surgery.
Some patients may be considered cured or achieve long-term remission with radiation therapy, particularly when combined with other treatments.
For example, when Ricardo Ricks’ cancer returned 6 years after diagnosis, doctors recommended targeted radiotherapy to ease pain and attack cancer that had grown into his right lung, along with other therapies, to help improve his survival time.
Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide to learn more about treatments that could help you or a loved one live longer or even be cured of lung cancer.
- Understand risk factors
- Find top treatments
- Pursue compensation
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a standard treatment for both SCLC and NSCLC. It works by targeting rapidly growing cancer cells, and is often combined with surgery, radiation, or immunotherapy for the best results.
For limited-stage SCLC, the five-year survival rate with chemotherapy and radiation is around 25%. For early-stage NSCLC, chemotherapy before (neoadjuvant) or after surgery (adjuvant) can improve outcomes by shrinking tumors or eliminating cancer cells.
Immunotherapy Cure Rates
Immunotherapy is the use of medication that boosts the body’s immune response to cancer. While obviously not a guaranteed cure, immunotherapy for lung cancer has become a key treatment option, especially for those who can’t undergo surgery.
“Immunotherapy is a practice-changing development. We can greatly increase cure rates by giving people immunotherapy prior to surgical removal of early-stage lung cancers.”
— Dr. Navid Hafez, lung cancer doctor
More than 15% of those treated with immunotherapy achieved long-term survival in a 2023 study, illustrating its potential in helping patients live longer.
Clinical Trials and Lung Cancer Cures
Clinical trials test new treatments, medications, and therapies to improve lung cancer outcomes. Lung cancer clinical trials offer promising new options when traditional treatments haven’t been successful.
Notable clinical trials related to curing lung cancer include:
- Key-Early study: Cancer specialists want to analyze which curative treatments that patients with early-stage and locally advanced NSCLC receive. This is because treatment recommendations can vary by cancer center.
- MRDSEEKER study: This study is looking to identify traits that make lung cancer patients good candidates for adjuvant therapies, which can help boost the effects of curative treatment.
- Postoperative cough study: Doctors look to find what causes postoperative cough in patients treated with curative lung cancer surgery. This is a common complication after surgery, but doctors still don’t understand why it develops.
Lung cancer clinical trials can be very helpful in some cases, depending on how your cancer responds. One stage 4 lung cancer patient was still in remission six years after receiving immunotherapy in a clinical trial. She ultimately lived for more than a decade after being given only a 30% chance to live past three years.
Doctors continue to study new ways to treat — and potentially cure — all stages and types of lung cancer.
“The goal is to cure in the most efficacious way and with the least toxicity. Even metastatic lung cancer has to be cured.”
— Dr. Ravi Salgia, lung cancer doctor
If you’re interested in joining a clinical trial, you can consult with your health professionals and oncology specialists to determine eligibility. If appropriate, they’ll help you find the right trial for your condition.
Can Lung Cancer Return After Being Cured?
Lung cancer recurrence is understandably a major concern after curative treatment. Roughly 90% of SCLC patients and 60% of NSCLC patients will experience a recurrence within the first two years.
Recurrence also often means that disease progression may have occurred, making the cancer harder to treat.
Still, it’s important to understand that long-term survivorship may still be possible if lung cancer returns. Doctors can recommend a treatment plan that will work to help you or a loved one as best they can.
Contact our team now for help exploring and affording lung cancer treatments that may potentially cure you or allow you to live longer.
Get Lung Cancer Treatments to Live Longer
While there is no miracle cure for lung cancer right now, early-stage patients can often receive curative treatment to help them achieve remission or live for long spans of time. It’s not unheard of for some lung cancer patients to live for 20+ years following treatment.
Long-term survivorship is also possible for patients with advanced lung cancer, even though what’s thought of as a “cure” isn’t normally possible.
Lung Cancer Group is here to help patients and families facing a diagnosis. While navigating treatment and medical bills can be stressful, our team will walk with you and work to get you key resources to make things easier.
Get a Free Lung Cancer Guide now or call (877) 446-5767 to get started.
Cure for Lung Cancer FAQs
Can lung cancer be cured?
There’s not a one-size-fits-all cure for lung cancer right now. However, doctors may consider some patients “cured” if treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy destroy all visible tumors.
Lung cancer patients can typically undergo curative treatments if their cancer is diagnosed in an early stage, before it has spread through the body.
It’s also crucial for lung cancer patients to understand that long-term survivorship may be possible even when a cure isn’t.
Is there a non-small cell lung cancer cure?
There’s currently not an official cure for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, patients with this type typically live longer than those with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
Doctors typically treat early-stage NSCLC with surgery, effectively removing all cancer from the body before it spreads. As a result, informal cure rates for NSCLC are higher.
Contact us now to get help after a lung cancer diagnosis. We can provide information about potentially curative treatments and financial compensation to cover any expenses.
How long can you live with lung cancer?
The average survival time for lung cancer is 7-16 months with treatment. That said, it’s possible for some lung cancer patients to live for over 20 years.
Patients can even achieve long-term survival despite a poor lung cancer life expectancy depending on how their body responds to treatment.
While it’s rare for patients to be fully “cured” of lung cancer, many early-stage patients may reach a point of no evidence of disease (NED) or full remission following treatment. If the cancer doesn’t come back after a long period of time, doctors may consider these patients not only long-term survivors, but fully cured.
Can stage 4 lung cancer be cured by chemotherapy?
Stage 4 lung cancer is unlikely to be cured by chemotherapy or other treatments. That said, in rare cases, some patients have achieved long-term survival even with stage 4 lung cancer.
Doctors can help determine which treatments will work best for stage 4 lung cancer patients.
How to cure small cell lung cancer?
Cancer specialists typically work to cure small cell lung cancer by using chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. Surgery is also used in select cases if the cancer is caught very early on.
Keep in mind that there’s no universal cure for small cell lung cancer and that many patients experience recurrence (where the cancer comes back) despite treatment. Still, surviving small cell lung cancer could be possible.
Call (877) 446-5767 for next steps if you’re facing a lung cancer diagnosis.
What helps cure lung cancer?
Lung cancer treatment depends on the type of treatment and stage of the disease. Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and immunotherapy are common options.
Targeted therapy drugs like pembrolizumab and atezolizumab are also used for patients with specific gene mutations to help improve survival.
Regular lung cancer screening and spotting any developments early increase the chances of long-term remission.
Can lung cancer be cured at stage 4?
Stage 4 lung cancer is considered advanced and metastatic, meaning it has spread to other parts of the body. While it’s not typically curable, treatments like immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy can extend life and improve a person’s quality of life.
You or a loved one may be able to live a long time, even with stage 4 lung cancer.
Will lung cancer ever be cured?
While we’re still awaiting a universal cure for lung cancer, advancements in oncology care are improving cancer survival rates.
A lot of funding goes into cancer research, helping to improve available treatment options so more patients can see improved outcomes.
