L1 - Respiratory Malignancies

Question 1

List 3 significant anatomical points that occur at the angle of Louis.

Answer 1

1 - Bifurcation of the trachea.

2 - Start of the aortic arch.

3 - Azygous vein enters the superior vena cava.

Question 2

How are the lobes of the lungs separated?

Answer 2

• The right lung is divided into superior and middle lobes by a horizontal fissure.
• The right lung is further divided by an oblique fissure, which separates the inferior lobe from the middle and superior lobes.
• The left lung is divided into upper and lower lobes by an oblique fissure.

Question 3

What is haemoptysis?

Answer 3

Coughing up blood from the lungs.

Question 4

List 6 symptoms of lung cancer.

Answer 4

1 - Haemoptysis.

2 - Weight loss.

3 - Dyspnoea.

4 - Cough.

5 - Chest pain.

6 - Hoarse voice.

Question 5

List 3 aetiologies of lung cancer.

Answer 5

1 - Smoking.

2 - Asbestos.

3 - Radiation.

Question 6

Which diagnostic technique can be used to find the location of a tumour in the lung?

Answer 6

CT scan.

Question 7

List 3 types of tumours that may occur in the lungs.

Answer 7

1 - Non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).

2 - Small cell.

3 - Carcinoid.

Question 8

List 2 specific tumour markers. List the relevant treatments.

Answer 8

1 - Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs).
- Antagonists e.g. gefitinib.

2 - Anaplastic large-cell lymphoma kinase (ALK).
- Inhibitors e.g. crizotinib.

Question 9

List 3 management techniques for NSCLC.

Answer 9

1 - Surgery.

2 - Radiotherapy.

3 - Chemotherapy.

Question 10

List 2 treatments for small cell tumours.

Answer 10

1 - Chemotherapy.

2 - Cranial radiotherapy.

Question 11

What is a mesothelioma? What is a common cause?

Answer 11

• Cancer of mesothelium, the epithelium that lines the pleurae.
• Related to asbestos exposure.

Question 12

Through which systems can cancers metastasise?

Answer 12

Through lymphatics or blood.

Question 13

What is Horner’s syndrome and what is its aetiology?

Answer 13

• A condition characterized by:
• Miosis (constriction of the pupil),
• Ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelid),
• Anhidrosis (absence of sweating of the face).
• Caused by damage of sympathetic innervation to the face, possibly by cancer, stroke or spinal cord injury.

Question 14

What is pleural effusion?

Answer 14

A buildup of fluid in the pleural space.

Question 15

What are the two types of effusions? How are they different?

Answer 15

• Transudates and exudates.
• Differ in source;

Exudates are from inflammatory sources,

Transudate leakage is caused by a change in hydrostatic pressure at the source.

Question 16

List 5 treatments for mesotheliomas.

Answer 16

1 - Chemotherapy.

2 - Radiotherapy.

3 - Surgery.

4 - Immunotherapy.

5 - Gene therapy.