Lung cancer

Question 1

what is small cell lung cancer

Answer 1

medical emergency and needs immediate treatment
cancer in larger airway that presents as systemic disease and frequently metastases - commonly to the liver, bone marrow, brain, adrenal glands

Question 2

what is the treatment for small cell lung cancer

Answer 2

surgery has limited roll and chemo is required

etoposide with carboplatin or cisplatin

Question 3

what is non small cell lung cancer

Answer 3

all other lung cancers
arise from epithelial cells in bronchi and alveoli
thre types:
squamous cell- obstruction of bronchus and grow slow and spread locally
Adenocarcinoma- occurs with bronchial mucosal glands can orginate from scar tissue and high risk of metastasing
large cell carcinoma- presents in large mass that grow rapidly and metastasise early

Question 4

what iis the clinical presentation of lung cancer

Answer 4

chronic cough
chest pain
haemoptysis
breathlessness

Question 5

what is the treatment for non small cell lung cancer
stage 1,2,3a
stage 3b and 4

Answer 5

stages 1,2,3a- curative surgery to remove primary tumour with adjuvant chemo
stages 3b and 4 - inoperable and chemo issued. double therapy with carboplatin or cisplatin with gemcitabine or vinorelbine
second line docetaxel

Question 6

Name the EGFR tyorsine inhibitors and moa

Answer 6

gefitinib, erlotinib
EGFR is over mutated and overexpressed in cancer cells especially NSCLC
Inhibit the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway preventing cancer growth

Question 7

what re the s/e of tyrosine inhibitors

Answer 7

diarrhoea, rash (acne like)

Question 8

how is radiotherapy used in lung cancer

Answer 8

aims to shrink the size of the tumour
given during chemo treatment to make tumour more susceptible to chemo
radical radiotherapy used to actively treat the cancer
palliative radiotherapy given to manage symptoms: chest pain, cough, airway obstruction