What Is the Prognosis for Stage Three Lung Cancer?

Around 30 percent of patients diagnosed with lung cancer have already reached stage 3, and their prognosis varies according to multiple factors, according to Dr. Lynne Eldridge, writing for About.com. The median survival time for stage 3a non-small cell cancer is 15 months, and stage 3b patients have a median survival period of 13 months. The 5-year survival rate is 14 and 5 percent for types a and b, respectively.