Lung Cancer Flashcards
Commonest primary malignant Lung tumours
Non small cell lung cancer
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Adenocarcinoma
Small cell lung cancer (survival is talked about in months not years)
How do the three common malignant lung tumours differ
Presentation
Investigations
Natural History
Management
Haemoptysis
Coughing out blood
Haematesis
Vomiting out blood
- Diseases of GI Tract
Dyspnoea
Difficulty Breathing
What symptoms might be expected from this tumour and why
Erosion into vessels as it is in the hilum of the lungs - leading to bronchi and trachea causing haemoptysis
What might this cytological analysis of sputum indicate and why
Seems malignant due to pleomorphisms and a high nuclear:cytoplasmic ratio
They are also squamous cells, likely in smokers
What is the purpose of a bronchoscopy
Taking a sample of suspicious cells in the airways for biopsy
Usefulness of CT scans in lung cancer investigation
Allows investigation of tumour size and potential analysis of lymph node involvement
How does haemoptysis induced by lung cancer respond to radiotherapy
Quite well - disappears quite quickly
DXT
Radiotherapy
Where are squamous cells carcinoma more likely to arise in the lungs
Centrally as opposed to peripheral
**ABOUT LIKELIHOOD - NOT DEFINITIVE
Pleural Effusion
Liquid collecting in the pleural cavity
Adenocarcinoma
Cancer that starts in mucous-producing glandular cells of your body
Which type of lung cancer is most common in non-smokers
Adenocarcinoma
Main presentation of adenocarcinoma of the lungs
Pleural effusion - other more systemic symptoms like haemotysis and bleeding are not as common as it is in the periphery of the lungs
Diagnosis of adenocarcinoma
Image-guided biopsy
Most appropriate treatment for localised adenocarcinoma of the lungs
Surgery
Stridor
Noisy breathing that occurs due to obstructed air flow through a narrowed airway
**DANGEROUS AS AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION CAN OCCUR IF SERIOUS
What cells does a small cell carcinoma of the lungs arise from
Pulmonary Neuroendocrine Cells
**Smoking related
What causes the presentations of small cell carcinoma in the lungs
Presentation because of local invasion of vital structures (SVC & Obstruction of bronchus)
Why might wasted muscles of the hand or hoarseness of the voice indicate lung cancer
Hoarseness - Involvement of recurrent laryngeal nerve
Wasted muscles of hand - Brachial Plexus involvement
Other less specific presentations of lung cancer
Cancer cachexia
Stridor
Clubbing
Hoarseness (recurrent laryngeal nerve involved)
Wasted muscles of the hand (brachial plexus involvement)
Horner’s syndrome
Paraneoplastic Syndromes
Growth factors secreted by the tumour that act on organs elsewhere
