How long does the average lung cancer sufferer live without treatment?

Is she likely to make it to Christmas for example?

Can you tell us what stage her cancer is in? And has it spread at all? How is her overall health?

I do not know for sure, however, I would think it depends on the stage upon which it has been diagnosed and whether it has already spread to other parts of the body. I am sure her doctors can give her a fairly accurate idea of how much time she may have left.
I think her decision to reject treatment is not a bad thing. She is 89 years old and any invasive treatments will only add to her condition.

I feel that way now and I am only 51, but, I am at peace in my life and okay with dying, this does not mean I want to die anytime soon, but, there is something to be said for acceptance. Quality of life is everything and I would much prefer a few good months and an earlier death than feeling even sicker to simply extend the inevitable a little longer.
I would support her choices 100% and just be supportive and caring as the disease progresses. I wish your family the best.

@zenvelo I don’t know what stage it is in. She claims to be in no pain and her health before this has been fairly good. She is having shortage of breath and coughing fits which, like I said, is what prompted her to see a doctor but other than that, appears to have no symptoms. She has to go back to the hospital next week where they will give her a general idea of where it’s at but I’m going crazy and need some sort of idea before then.

@Leanne1986

You are in shock and you want to find a way to control the situation, but, you simply, cannot.
There is absolutely no way to predict the outcome or time left until the doctors do further testing. Try to breathe and find a way to accept that there are no answers at this time. Waiting is hard, but, don;t make YOURSELF sick with worry. Ya gotta hang loose kiddo. I’m sorry. :-(

It’s hard to tell w/o knowing what stage her lung cancer is. If she’s stage IV, I’d call it at 6 months- year.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Without treatment? That’s longer than I was expecting for a worse case scenario. I was worried that she may only have 6 WEEKS if it was at stage IV (although, like I said, we don’t know if it is stage IV yet, with any luck it’s still in the early stages).

My father was diagnosed with lung cancer. Like @Simone_De_Beauvoir said, it was in Stage IV by that time, and the doctor predicted at least six months. Granted, that was 20 years ago. In looking back on home movies taken over six months before the diagnosis, he had a cough long before he finally went to a doctor about it.

My heart goes out to you, dear friend.

You may benefit from reading the entire article.

“the median stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer life expectancy (the time at which 50% of patients are alive and 50% have passed away) is only around 8 months. The 5-year survival rate, that is the percent of people who are expected to be alive 5 years after a diagnosis of stage 4 lung cancer is sadly less than 10%.”

@Leanne1986 I really can’t tell you since I’m not a doctor. I am going off thousands of patients I’ve worked with as a pt. navigator with the American Cancer Society though and I know my cancer patients. I’m sorry.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Your experience is useful. Thank you.

@Leanne1986 I would say support your grandmother in her decision. A person of her age, one hopes, knows what they want and can reflect on their life and really deny tx appropriately.