Lifespan
October 17, 2019 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Ive Dr. Schaaf
A very very important friend of ours was diagnosed with lung cancer 11 months ago. Surgery was no longer an option. He had metastases in his head as well as in his hip bones. The metastases were treated with radiation. Immunotherapy did not work. For the past 7 months, he has been undergoing chemotherapy every three weeks. Since then, the tumors have remained stable. Please be completely honest with us. How long can our friend live like this?
Good evening,
The problem with estimating life expectancy is that everyone has an individual course and therefore any estimation overlooks the individual. Estimations can only be made based on static data, and statistics always reflect the average with a more or less large range of variation.
The survival rate for metastatic lung cancer after 5 years is about 1%, so 1 out of 100 affected individuals will still be alive then.
This means for you: Unfortunately, your friend does not have a high life expectancy. He may have a few more years left, but it could also be over sooner. If you know exactly what type of carcinoma is present, how far the metastasis has progressed, and so on, then - again, ONLY statistically speaking - this information can be narrowed down a bit more precisely. This only indicates which way it is going, and not exactly what is coming for your friend. But that's how it is. That's why estimating life expectancy is considered one of the "deadly sins" of medicine, and is strongly warned against.
I think you understand what I'm trying to say.
Your specific question cannot be answered concretely. But your concerns that things will not go well for much longer are correct - unfortunately.
I still wish you all the best and your friend many more beautiful days.
Dr. Schaaf
