Clinical aspects of Bronchial carcinoma

Question 1

What are the 5 general feature of Cancer?

Answer 1

Malignant growth
Uncontrolled replication
Local invasion
Metastatis - secondary cancer
Non-metastatic system effects.

Question 2

What are the 3 metastatic - secondary cancer features?

Answer 2

Lymphatic spread
Blood Stream
Serous cavities

Question 3

What are 8 ways to detect lung cancer early?

Answer 3

A cough you've had for 3 weeks or more. 
Feeling breathless for no reason. 
A chest infection that doesn't clear up. 
Coughing blood. 
Unexplained weight loss.
Chest or shoulder pains.
Unexplained tiredness or lack of energy. 
A hoarse voice.

Question 4

What is haemoptysis?

Answer 4

The coughing up of blood from the bronchi, trachea, larynx and lungs. - could suggest lung cancer!

Question 5

What is the usual net effect on a lung when it has lung cancer?

Answer 5

It has a smaller volume - when a lobe becomes obstructed then all of the air beyond the obstruction is absorbed and the lung cancer shrinks down to a smaller size.

Question 6

What is stridor?

Answer 6

Stridor is a disressing symptom of breathing - it is like having a rope tied round your neck. It usually comes with a audible wheeze during inspiration.

Question 7

How can strider be caused?by cancer?

Answer 7

A tumour between the bronchi causing the bronchi to be partially blocked.

Question 8

What are the symptoms of a primary tumour?

Answer 8

haemoptysis
Recurrent pneumonia
Stridor
Shortness of breath

Question 9

What are the 6 areas of the thorax that could be infected by local invasion of a respiratory cancer?

Answer 9

Recurrent laryngeal nerve.
Pericardium.
Oesophagus.
Brachial plexus.
Pleural cavity. 
Superior vena cava

Question 10

What is a symptom that the recurrent laryngeal nerve has been locally invaded?

Answer 10

Hoarse voice

Question 11

What are the symptoms of the pericardium being locally invaded?

Answer 11

Breathless.
Atrial fibrillation - atrium contract randomly/too fast.
Pericardial effusion - fluid in the pericardial cavity.

Question 12

What is the symptom of the oesophagus being locally invaded?

Answer 12

Dysphagia - swallowing difficulties.

Question 13

What type of tumour usually spreads to the ribs and brachial plexus?

Answer 13

Pancoast tumour

Question 14

What are the symptoms of the brachial plexus being locally invaded?

Answer 14

Weakness in left hand and has no cough or breathlessness.

Question 15

What are the symptoms of pleural effusion?

Answer 15

breathlessness.

Question 16

What treatments needs to be done when someone has a pleural effusion?

Answer 16

Get it drained.