Lung Cancer - Preliminary Diagnosis
If lung cancer is suspected, then an immediate medical diagnosis is required as this is a life threatening disease which can quickly spread.
To help discover the cause for any symptoms suffered by a patient, a doctor will initially discuss and evaluate the patient's medical history, smoking history, exposure to environmental and occupational substances, and family history of cancer. The doctor will also perform a basic physical examination of his patient using the following methods.
Listening to their breathing with a stethoscope.
Carry out tests to measure breathing capacity and lung function.
Check for swollen armpit and neck lymph nodes.
Examine the patient's mid-section for signs of an enlarged liver or any unusual masses that can be indicative of a tumour.
Depending on how this assessment goes, the doctor may then complete other tests to determine the cause of the symptoms being presented by the patient, For example, if lung cancer is suspected, various preliminary tests may be performed, such as:
Chest X-Ray
Chest X-Rays are commonly used as an initial test when doctors suspect lung cancer. A chest x-ray uses small carefully doses of radiation to take a picture of the inside of the chest cavity. Tumours possibly will be seen on a chest x-ray as dark areas on the x-ray, however some patients have tumours too small or hidden by a bone and are not seen.
Sputum Cytology
Sputum is mucus from the lungs. Sputum Cytology is a microscopic examination of sputum cells obtained from a deep-cough sample, and this is often useful in detecting the presence of lung cancer. The most effective method for this test is to collect and analyse the sputum each morning for three days.
Lung Tissue Biopsy
To confirm the presence of lung cancer, a pathologist will examine a tissue sample taken directly from the lung. When examined under a microscope, the pathologist will be able to determine whether a person has cancer. Various methods may be used to obtain the required lung tissue sample:
Bronchoscopy: where a long, thin, flexible, tube with a small light and camera on the end, called a bronchoscope, is inserted into the mouth or nose and down through the windpipe to look at the breathing passages and lungs. A needle inserted through this tube, can enable the doctor to collect and retrieve small samples of tissue which can then be examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells.
Needle Aspiration: where a needle is inserted through the chest into the tumour to collect and retrieve a sample of tissue which can then be examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells.
Thoracentesis: where a needle is used to collect and retrieve a sample of the fluid that collects in the area between the lungs and the chest wall, and this can then be examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells.
Thoracotomy / Thoracoscopy: where chest surgery is used to examine the lung tissue to check for the presence of lung cancer. This procedure is a major operation performed in a hospital under general anaesthesia.
Mediastinoscopy: An endoscope which is a device with a light attached is inserted into the mediastinum to decide whether cancer cells have spread to the trachea. This procedure is performed while the patient is under anaesthesia.
By using the above techniques, the presence of lung cancer can either be confirmed or discounted. If lung cancer is confirmed then further tests can be carried out to identify the extent of the disease while appropriate treatment is undertaken to combat the affliction. If lung cancer is discounted, then further tests can be carried out to identify the cause of the symptoms.
Lung Cancer - Overview
Lung Cancer is a type of cancer that forms in tissues of the lung, usually in the cells lining air passages. Many lung cancers begin in the bronchi though others can start in other parts of the lungs. Lung cancer also has a tendency to form in the glands below the bronchi.
Lung Cancer - Probabilities
Lung cancer causes up to 30% of all cancer related deaths, and it is the 2nd leading cause of death among both men and women in western society. 85% of all lung cancers are caused by a person's smoking habit or just by breathing in the second-hand smoke of others.
Lung Cancer - Screening
At this moment in time, there is no particularly useful single test that can be considered 100% reliable for the early detection of lung cancer. Unfortunately unless someone is undergoing a health screen for something completely unrelated, lung cancer is very often only discovered in the later stages of the disease when it is often too late to do anything but offer palliative treatment.
Lung Cancer - Symptoms
The most common indicators and symptoms of lung cancer include the following: Fatigue Shortness of breath and wheezing (dyspnoea) A cough that doesn't go away and gets worse over time Repeated problems with pneumonia or bronchitis Constant chest pain Coughing up blood (bloody sputum) (haemoptysis) Swelling of the neck and face Fever Loss of appetite and Weight loss (anorexia) Hoarse voice
Lung Cancer Treatment Options - Radiation
In many cases of lung cancer, surgery is not an option. This may be because of the advanced stage of the cancer, the location of the tumor or tumors, or because of the overall general health of the patient. In those cases, the oncologist may suggest radiation therapy to treat lung cancer. Even if surgery is an option, the doctor may suggest irradiation either before therapy to shrink the tumor or after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells.
Lung Cancer - Trends by Ethnicity, Sex and Race
In the USA and many other western countries, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death. Lung cancer has been found to be the leading cancer killer among Caucasians, African-Americans, Asians and Hispanic males.