Lung cancer

Question 1

What are the 6 hallmarks of cancer?

Answer 1

Sustaining proliferative signalling
Evading growth suppressors
Activating invasion and metastasis
Enabling replicative immortality
Inducing angiogenesis
Resisting cell death

Question 2

What are the gradings of tumours?

Answer 2

T0 = no tumour
T1 = Lesion <2cm
T2 = Lesion 2-5cm
T3 = Skin/chest wall involved in invasion

N0 = No nodal involvement
N1 = Mobile nodes involved
N2 = Fixed nodes involved

M0 = No metastases
M1 = Demonstratable metastases
MX = Suspected metastases

Question 3

What are the risk factors for lung cancer?

Answer 3

Smoking
Occupational exposures
Air pollution
Radiation
Family history

Question 4

What are the symptoms of lung cancer?

Answer 4

Coughing - haemoptysis (sometimes)
Fever
Weakness
Lethargy
Weight loss
SOB
Chest pain
Difficulty swallowing (sometimes)

Question 5

What are paraneoplastic syndromes?

Answer 5

2ndary effects of cancer

Question 6

What are the main examples of paraneoplastic syndrome?

Answer 6

Cushings syndrome
Inappropriate ADH secretion
Hypercalcaemia

Question 7

How is lung cancer diagnosed?

Answer 7

X-ray - White mass can be seen
CT - To check for lymph node involvement
Biopsy - determines type of cancer

Question 8

What are the types of lung cancer?

Answer 8

Small cell lung cancer - Small cell carcinoma

Non-small cell lung cancer - Squamous carcinoma, Adeno-carcinoma, large cell carcinoma

Question 9

Which type of lung cancer is the most aggressive?

Answer 9

Small cell lung cancer

Question 10

What is the treatment for SCLC?

Answer 10

Chemo

Radiation

Question 11

What are common complications of lung cancer?

Answer 11

SVC syndrome (blood flow is reduced in SVC)
Horners syndrome via sympathetic chain compression

Question 12

What is the prognosis for lung cancer?

Answer 12

Bad when compaired with others
1 year survival = ~30%
5 year survival = ~9%