3. Clinical Presentation/ Detection & Diagnosis

SCLC stands for

small cell lung cancer

NSCLC stands for

non-small cell lung cancer

What is the most common symptom BY FAR of lung cancer?

Coughing

What are the 4 symptoms of lung cancer

1. coughing 

2. chest pain/ rust-streaked sputum/ hemoptysis 

3. dyspnea (SOB)

4. hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy - for NSCLC

term. Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy

1. clubbing of distal fingers

2. arthritic conditions in bones & joints of wrists & ankles

1. To what areas does lung cancer mets to?

2. What exams can be used to check for mets to other organs?

1. Bone, Brain, Liver

2. Radioisotope scan (Nuclear Med)- mets to Brain, Bone, Liver

   Bone Marrow Biopsy

What is the #1 exam used to DETECT lung cancer

chest x-ray

What are exams used to detect lung cancer

Imaging

1. Chest xr-ay

2. Low dose spiral CT

3. CT/ CAT scan

Pathology

5. Bronchoscopy/Mediastinoscopy

6. Sputum cytology

Which exam used in the detection of lung cancer may have a high # of false positives?

low dose spiral ct

Lung cancer histology is most frequently obtained through what exam?

fiber-optic bronchoscopy

Sputum cytology may be positive in about __% of lung cancer patients

75

Why is sputum cytology not used so much in detecting lung cancer if it is positive in up to 75% of lung cancers?

does not determine location of the tumor

FYI: Bone marrow biopsy is used to determine what type of lung cancer?

Small cell carcinoma cuz 40% of patients have bone marrow involvement

Why is it important to obtain a differential diagnosis for lung cancer?

Because mets from other sites to lungs is very common 

It’s important to distinguish if the lung cancer is primary or mets