Bronchial Carcinoma (Lung Cancer) Flashcards
What are the main risk factors for Bronchial Carcinoma?
Male sex, increased age and active/passive smoking
What are the common sites of metastasis of bronchial carcinoma?
Brain, liver and bone
What are the main classifications of lung cancer?
Small cell and Non small cell (adenocarcinoma, squamous cell and large cell)
What percentage of lung cancers do small cell account for?
25% of tumours
What percentage of lung cancers do large cell account for?
10% of tumours
What is the most common type of lung cancer?
Adenocarcinoma
What is the second most common type of lung cancer?
Squamous cell
What are the main symptoms of lung cancer?
- Cough
- Heamoptysis.
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Weight loss
- Symptoms of metastasis (Bone pain, Confusion, seizures and focal neurological deficits and Myopathy, peripheral neuropathy)
What are the main signs of lung cancer?
Consolidation, collapse, and pleural effusion
What mutation do small cell tumours express?
TT1
What are small cell tumours?
Highly metastatic neuroendocrine tumours
What type of diseases is small cell tumours associated with?
Numerous paraneoplastic syndromes (LEMS, SIADH ACTH secretion/cushings)
What mutation do adenocarcinoma express?
TTF1
Where do small cell tumours tend to grow?
Centrally then disseminate quickly
What is the most common type of lung cancer seen in non smokers?
Adenocarcinomas
What are adenocarcinomas?
Gland forming, mucous producing tumours that most commonly grow in the peripheries of the lungs
What are squamous cell tumours?
Keratinized tumour that is found centrally and frequently cavitates
What paraneoplastic syndrome is associated with squamous cell tumours?
PTH like hormone secretion (hypercalcemia)
What is a large cell tumour?
Any non small cell tumour that does not fit the criteria for adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma is classed as large cell
What are some complications of lung cancer?
- Compression of recurrent laryngeal (hoarseness)
- Invasion of the oesophagus (dysphagia)
- Invasion of sympathetic chain (Horners syndrome)
- Paraneoplastic syndromes (SIADH, Cushings, Addison, Hypercalcemia, Polymyositis, Lambert eaton syndrome and Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthopathy)
What investigations can be used to confirm a diagnosis of lung cancer?
- Bloods (FBC, U/E, LFT)
- Imaging (CXR, CT CAP, CT head, PET CT, bone scan)
- Cytology (sputum, bronchoscopy, pleural tap, biopsy)
What is the first line imaging used for diagnosing lung cancer?
CXR
What can a CXR show in lung cancer?
A mass, pleural effusion or hilar lymphadenopathy
What is the importance of CT and PET CT in diagnosing/treating lung cancer?
It allows for accurate staging
