If you have been diagnosed with stage one or stage two non-small cell carcinoma of the lung, your five year survival rate is considered very good, i.e., better than 50%. This means that there is a better than 50% chance that you will be alive five years after the diagnosis of lung cancer. If you are alive five years after your cancer diagnosis, you are considered “cured” in almost all cases. On the other hand, if you are diagnosed with stage four non-small cell carcinoma of the lung, your five year survival rate is 2%, not so great.