Lung Cancer Flashcards
10% of the time, patient’s find that they have lung cancer by checking for pneumonia on a
chest x ray
Lung cancer is clinically __ for the majority of its course
silent
Lung cancer is often masked in patients who are smokers because…
they already have an underlying cough
Symptoms for lung cancer are nonspecific and are…
late in the disease
What is the most common symptom of lung cancer?
Persistent productive cough
What does the provider look for on a chest x ray for a patient with lung cancer?
A mass or infiltrate
A mass on a chest x ray is sometimes referred to as __.
consolidation
Infiltrate on a chest x ray looks like __ where it should be clear.
haziness
A CT scan or MRI can be used to check for __.
metastasis
A sputum for cytology is looking for what?
Cancer cells in the sputum
Only 20-30% of sputum for cytology specimens are __.
positive
Definitive diagnostic test for lung cancer
Biopsy
List three ways a patient will have a lung biopsy
1) percutaneous fine needle biopsy
2) bronchoscopy
3) video-assisted thoracoscopy (VAT)
A video-assisted thoracoscopy is done where?
In the OR or an endoscopy suite
How is tissue removed from the lung in a video-assisted thoracoscopy?
Through the thorax by way of scope