Signs, Symptoms, and Diagnostic Techniques
- Early lung cancer often has no symptoms.
- Symptoms can include coughing, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
- Coughing may be a new cough or an increase in frequency or strength of a pre-existing cough.
- Around one in four people with lung cancer cough up blood.
- Shortness of breath is experienced by around half of those diagnosed with lung cancer.
- Chest X-ray is often performed as a first imaging test.
- CT scanning can reveal the size and location of tumors.
- A definitive diagnosis of lung cancer requires a biopsy of the suspected tissue.
- Histological examination of the biopsy confirms the presence of cancer cells.
- Some lung tumors may not be visible on X-ray.
- Fiberoptic bronchoscope, fine needle aspiration, imaging-guided biopsy, and liquid biopsy are diagnostic techniques.
- PET or PET-CT scanning can be used to locate metastases.
- MRI or CT scan can scan the brain for metastases.
- Biopsy of suspected metastasis is required to confirm cancer.
Metastasis and Symptoms
- Lung cancer can metastasize to various parts of the body.
- Brain metastases can cause headaches, nausea, seizures, and neurological deficits.
- Bone metastases can cause pain, fractures, and compression of the spinal cord.
- Liver metastases can cause liver enlargement, abdominal pain, and weight loss.
- Lung tumors can release hormones, leading to paraneoplastic syndromes with various symptoms.
Treatment Options
- Early stage lung cancer can be treated with surgery to remove the tumor.
- Radiation therapy and chemotherapy may be used after surgery to kill remaining cancer cells.
- Later stage lung cancer is treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
- Drug treatments targeting specific cancer subtypes are also used.
- The survival rate for lung cancer is around 20% after five years of diagnosis.
Causes, Prevention, and Screening
- Most lung cancer cases are caused by tobacco smoking.
- Exposure to hazardous substances like asbestos and radon gas can also cause lung cancer.
- Genetic mutations can contribute to the development of lung cancer.
- Quitting smoking can reduce the risk of developing lung cancer.
- Lung cancer prevention efforts focus on avoiding hazardous chemicals and quitting smoking.
- High-risk individuals may be screened using low-dose CT lung scans.
- Screening programs can lead to early detection of lung tumors.
- Early detection can result in successful treatment and decreased mortality.
- Recommended intervals for lung cancer screening.
Classification, Staging, and Prognosis
- Two main types of lung cancer: SCLC and NSCLC.
- SCLC tumors found near the center of the lungs.
- NSCLC includes adenocarcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma, and large-cell carcinoma.
- Adenocarcinoma is the most common type of lung cancer.
- Different subtypes and growth characteristics of lung cancer.
- SCLC staged as limited or extensive.
- NSCLC staged with TNM staging system.
- Tumor size and extent (T), spread to lymph nodes (N), and metastases (M) are scored.
- Stage groups based on T, N, and M scores.
- Different stages and subgroups based on T, N, and M scores.
- Prognosis for lung cancer is influenced by the stage at diagnosis.
- Early detection and treatment significantly improve the chances of survival.
- The specific cell type of lung cancer can affect prognosis and treatment options.
- Overall health and the presence of other medical conditions impact prognosis.
- Smoking cessation can improve prognosis and reduce the risk of developing a second lung cancer.
Lung cancer Data Sources
| Reference | URL |
|---|---|
| Glossary | https://www.alternix.com/blogs/glossary-of-terms/lung-cancer |
| Wikipedia | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_cancer |
| Wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q47912 |
| Knowledge Graph | https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/04p3w |
