Clinical Features of Lung Cancer and Staging Flashcards
What cancer causes the most deaths?
Lung cancer
How many cancer deaths are due to lung cancer?
1 in 5 (22%)
What percentage of lung cancer does smoking account for?
>85%
What are some risk factors for lung cancer?
Smoking (more than 85%)
Passive smoking
Asbestos
Radon
Air pollution
Diesel exhause
What are some of the symptoms of lung cancer?
Chronic coughing
Coughing up blood
Wheezing sound
Chest infections
Difficulty swallowing
Rapsy, hoarse voice
Shortness of breath
Unexplained weight loss
Nail clubbing
What is paraneoplastic syndrome?
Symptoms due to cancer but is not due to the local presence of cancer cells
What are some metastatic symptoms of advanced lung cancer?
Bone pain
Spinal cord compression
Cerebral metastases
Thrombosis
What do cerebral metastasis lead to?
Headache
Vomiting
Dizziness
What does spinal cord compression lead to?
Limb weakness
Paraesthesia
Bladder/bowel dysfunction
What is paraesthesia?
Burning or prickling sensation
What is a burning or prickling sensation called?
Paraesthesia
What paraneoplastic symptoms does advanced lung cancer have?
Hyponatraemia (decreased serum sodium concentration)
Anaemia
Hypercalcaemia (increase in serum calcium levels)
What is hyponatraemia?
Decrease in serum sodium levels
What is a decrease in serum sodium levels called?
Hyponatraemia
What is hypercalcaemia?
Increase in serum calcium levels
What is an increase in serum calcium levels called?
Hypercalcaemia
What are some clinical signs of cancer?
Chest signs
Clubbing
Lymphadenopathy (abnormal size or number of lymph nodes)
Horner’s syndrome (damage to sympathetic nerves of the face)
Pancoast tumour (tumour of pulmonary apex)
Superior vena cava obstruction
Hepatomegaly (abnormal enlargement of the liver)
Skin nodules
What is lymphadenopathy?
Abnormal size or number of lymph nodes
What is abnormal size or number of lymph nodes called?
Lymphadenopathy
What is Horner’s syndrome?
Damage to sympathetic nerves of the face
What is a pancoast tumour?
Tumour of the pulmonary apex
What is hepatomegaly?
Abnormal enlargement of the liver
What is abnormal enlargement of the liver called?
Hepatomegaly
What are some initial investigations done for lung cancer?
Chest X-ray
Full blood count
Renal, liver function and calcium
Clotting screen
Spirometry
What is used to stage lung cancer?
CT of the thorax
What investigations of tissues are done for lung cancer?
Bronchoscopy
Endobronchial ultrasound
Image guided lung biopsy
Image guided liver biopsy
Fine needle aspiration of neck node or skin metastasis
Excision of cerebral metastasis
Mediastinoscopy
Surgical excision biopsy
What is the most common type of lung cancer by histology?
Adenocarcinoma
What percentage of lung cancer are adenocarcinoma?
40%
What percentage of lung cancers are squamous cell carcinoma?
30%