21. Surgical Treatment of Lung Cancer Flashcards
What 2 main factors need to be considered during the assessment of the patient for surgery?
- staging of lung cancer
2. fitness of the patient
What are the clinical signs in patient history that suggest progressive staging of lung cancer (worsening of cancer) (3)
- pain (esp. bony pain)
- headaches/ neurological symptoms (incl. personality change)
- haematuria (blood in urine)
What are the clinical signs in patient examination that suggest progressive staging of lung cancer? (worsening of cancer) (8)
- recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy
- brachial plexus palsy
- SVCO;superior vena cava obstruction
- supraclavicular lymph nodes
- soft tissue nodules
- chest wall masses
- pleural/pericardial effusion
- hepatomegaly
What 4 things can be seen on a chest x ray which suggest staging of lung cancer?
- pleural effusion
- chest wall invasion
- phrenic nerve palsy
- collapsed lobe or lung
What 3 main things do blood tests show in staging of lung cancer?
- anaemia
- abnormal LFTs (liver function tests)
- abnormal bone profile
When looking at a CT and determining staging of lung cancer, what elements are mainly looked at? (6)
- size of tumour
- mediastinal nodes
- metastatic disease; other parts of the lung, liver, adrenals, kidneys
- proximity to mediastinal structures
- pleural/pericardial effusion
- diaphragmatic involvement
What is MRI good for testing in staging of lung cancer?
Useful in determining the degree of vascular and neurological involvement in Pancoast tumour (tumour of pulmonary apex)
What is a Bone Scan good for testing in staging of lung cancer?
Good test for chest wall invasion and for bony metastases
What is an ECHO good for testing in staging of lung cancer?
Will demonstrate presence or absence of significant pericardial effusion
What are respiratory function tests used to assess fitness for pulmonary surgery?
- asking patient to walk a short distance (simple)
- spirometry
- diffusion studies
- ABG on air/ SLV (arterial blood gas)
- fractionated V/Q scan
How does a diffusion study work to assess lung fitness?
Patient inhales very small doses of CO, and the amount of CO absorbed in a single breath is measured showing how well alveolar membrane is functioning (if fibrous tissue blocks alveoli then gas exchange is poor)
In fractionated V/Q scan, what element is inhaled and distributed where air is in the lungs?
Xenon
What 2 surgical methods are used to detect lung cancer staging?
- bronchoscopy
2. mediastinoscopy
What occurs during bronchoscopy?
Bronchoscope is put through the patient’s mouth who is anaesthetised to look at major airways and biopsies can be taken if needed
What occurs during mediastinoscopy?
Cut made above the breast bone and allows us to sample paratracheal lymph nodes; biopsies taken (first sites of mets from lung cancer)