Lung cancer diagnosis

Hi Eenie7772f137

Welcome to the Online Community here at Macmillan. I hope you find it a helpful place to access support and ask questions. My name is Vanessa, and I am one of the cancer information nurses here at the Macmillan Cancer Support Line.

I’m sorry to hear of your mum’s recent diagnosis of lung cancer but so pleased you have felt able to contact us.

Here at the Macmillan Support Line, we can give general advice and support. We are independent from the NHS and don’t have access to medical records so can’t give personalised information.  

As you know there are two main types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Non- small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer. The type of lung cancer is normally identified after a sample of the cancer is examined in the laboratory.

For some people, where obtaining a sample of the cancer is going to cause significant risk or distress a sample is not taken and its therefore unknown which type of lung cancer the person has.

Giving a timescale for how long someone will live with cancer is difficult. This very much depends on individual situations, the stage and grade of cancer and the person’s general health.

Cancer Research UK does however some general information about survival rates for lung cancer. These statistics are usually based on research which has been taking place over several years so may not reflect changes in cancer treatment. For your mum however, it’s important to recognise that these statistics are usually based on people having treatment for their cancer.

If your mum had an allocated nurse specialist, you could contact them to discuss timescales in more detail (with your mum’s consent). They can see your mum’s records and are experts in lung cancer so be able to give some indication of timescales.

You mention palliative care and I wonder if your mum has been referred to her local community palliative care services? If not, with her consent, her GP, allocated nurse specialist or member of her hospital team would be able to make this referral for her.

Palliative care services can be excellent at assessing your mum and picking up changes in her condition which may mean her health is beginning to deteriorate further. They can also be a huge support to you both in thinking about the future.

I hope you find this information helpful. You can also always call one of our nurses directly if you want to talk over your concerns or require any further support.

Take care

Vanessa G, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist 

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email. 

Ref VG/LM