Life expectancy with interstitial lung disease can vary greatly. The most common form of interstitial lung disease, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), has a life expectancy of approximately 3 to 5 years. But other, less severe types can have much longer survival times.
With any type of interstitial lung disease, treatments can help maintain quality of life. In some cases, it's possible to slow the progression of lung damage.