Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer deaths in both men and women. It is the second most common cancer in both men and women, after prostate cancer and breast cancer, respectively. Lung cancer is difficult to detect early, mainly because of limitations in our screening technology. For example, the chest x-ray has not proven useful in finding small cancers that can be successfully treated. There is currently a great deal of work being done in developing new screening technologies, usually based on x-rays, for the early detection of lung cancer.

There are different histological types of lung cancer that are named after the type of cell in the lung from which the cancer develops. The four most common are squamous cell, adenocarcinoma, small cell, and large cell cancer. Very often, lung cancer is divided into two main groups: "small cell lung cancer" if composed of small cells and "non-small cell lung cancer" if composed of any one of the other three cell types. Small cell carcinoma is usually the most difficult to treat. Fortunately it is not as common as non-small cell lung cancer. If lung cancer is found early, so that it is confined to the lungs, the majority of patients will survive more than five years.

Diagnosis depends on a biopsy. Often the lungs need to be examined directly through a tube placed down the windpipe to obtain a small biopsy of the cancer, a procedure known as a bronchoscopy. Very often, a biopsy of the lung is performed through the chest (thoracotomy) or a needle is inserted through the chest to remove some tissue. Sometimes, the cancer has spread to lymph nodes in the chest or neck. Such spread requires more intensive treatment.

Treatment may include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, depending on the severity of the disease, location of the tumor, and general health of the patient. Each type of lung cancer will have different treatments.

Lung Cancer Predictions
Predictions are based on your prognostic factors. These are characteristics that are used to calculate your predictions. The factors are: race, age, histologic grade, tumor extension, lymph nodes positive, and tumor type. Your prediction will include a prediction graph and table of the likelihood of survival and non-recurrence for the next fifteen years.

Prediction Method
An advanced statistical method called artificial neural network regression (ANN) will be used to make your predictions. Your factors will be entered into the artificial neural network model. The model will use this information to predict your chance of being alive over the next fifteen years.