Lung cancer Flashcards
What are the risk factors for lung cancer (7)
smoking
Asbestos
Nickel
chromates
Radiation
Atmospheric pollution
Genetics
What is the clinical presentation of lung cancer (3) v basic
Local effects
Metastases
Systemic effects
What are the local effects of lung cancer and what symptoms do these each cause (3)
Airway obstruction > pneumonia
Invasion of chest wall > pain
Ulcerations > haemoptysis
What structures can metastases affect (4)
lymph nodes
Bones
Liver
Brain
What are systemic effects of lung cancer (2)
weight loss
Ectopic hormone production
What types of ectopic hormone production can arise due to lung cancer (2)
parathyroid hormone PTH
Adrenocorticotrophic hormone ACTH
Describe effects of parathyroid hormone PTH (3)
hypercalcaemia
Bone resorption
Kidney stones
Describe effects of Adrenocorticotrophic hormone ACTH (5)
truncal obesity, thin limbs
Round face
Shoulder hump
Fatigue
Weakness
What are the four main classes of lung cancer
adenocarcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma
Small cell carcinoma
Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma
What are examples of high grade tumours (2)
small cell carcinoma
Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma
What are examples of low grade tumours (2)
typical carcinoid
Atypical carcinoid
Describe the pathogenesis of large airway cancers (3)
squamous Metaplasia
Carcinoma in situ
Invasive squamous cell carcinoma
describe the pathogenesis of peripheral lung cancer (3)
atypical adenomatus hyperplasia
Adenocarcinoma in situ
Invasive adenocarcinoma
What procedures are used to diagnose lung cancer (3)
bronchoscopy
Biopsy/needle aspiration of metastases
CT-guided lung biopsy
Describe molecular pathology of lung cancer
Mutations can render the EGFR gene active in the absence of a growth factor
Describe cancers related to the EGFR gene (3)
Commonly Adenocarcinoma
More likely for non-smoking and Asian people
Responsive to tyrosine kinase inhibitors
What is tumour staging based on (3)
(Size and site of) tumours, nodes, and metastases
