Theres no cure for cystic fibrosis, but a range of treatments can help control the symptoms, prevent or reduce complications, and make the condition easier to live with. Regular appointments to monitor the condition are needed and a care plan will be set up based on the persons needs.

Can you live a long life with cystic fibrosis?

While there is no cure yet for cystic fibrosis (CF), people with CF are living longer, healthier lives than ever before. In fact, babies born with CF today are expected to live into their mid-40s and beyond. Life expectancy has improved so dramatically that there are now more adults with cystic fibrosis than children.

Can cystic fibrosis be cured with a lung transplant?

Does a lung transplant cure cystic fibrosis? No. Cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition so even though the transplanted lungs will not have CF and will never develop it, the rest of the persons body will continue to have cystic fibrosis.

Why is there no cure for CF?

Its treatment, however, is not. People diagnosed with cystic fibrosis have a mutation in a gene called CFTR. This gene encodes a protein that is responsible for transporting chloride to the surface of cells. Without chloride to attract water, the mucus that surrounds the cells in many organs becomes thick and sticky.

How long can you survive with CF?

People with CF typically live into their 30s or 40s. The authors of a 2018 study estimated that more than 50% of babies born with CF that year would live to at least the age of 41 years. Some people with CF live into their 70s. Current CF research is exploring ways to slow the progression of the disease.

What organs are affected by CF?

CF causes thick mucus that clogs certain organs, such as the lungs, pancreas, and intestines. This may cause malnutrition, poor growth, frequent respiratory infections, breathing problems, and chronic lung disease.

At what age do cystic fibrosis symptoms start?

They collect sweat from an area of skin (usually the forearm) to see how much chloride (a chemical in salt) is in it. People with CF have higher levels of chloride. Most children with CF are diagnosed by the time theyre 2 years old. But someone with a mild form may not be diagnosed until they are a teen.