Lung Cancer

Question 1

What kind of lung cancers can you get?

Answer 1

Small cell lung cancers (20-25%)

Non small cell ( carcinomas, adenocarcinomas, large cell) 70-75%

Question 2

What are the pathologies of primary lung cancers based on?

Answer 2

Cell of origin

Molecular level change, eg K-ras, or EGFR

Question 3

What are the cell origins of some of the lung cancers?

Answer 3

Small cell carcinoma is an endocrine cell
Squamous cell carcinoma is the basal cell
Adenocarcinoma is a type 2 alveolar cell **

Question 4

What are two drugs that used for lung cancer?

Answer 4

erlotinib and gefitinib

Question 5

What are some clinical features?

Answer 5

Haemoptysis, cough, dyspnoea, chest pain, obstructive pneumonia, pleural effusions, nerve entrapment, SVC obstruction, recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy

Question 6

What are another kind of clinical feature that can arise?

Answer 6

Paraeoplastic events ie small cell causing cushings syndrome and non small cell causing hypercalcaemia.
Finger clubbing

Question 7

Where do most squamous cell carcinomas arise?

Answer 7

NB 30% of lung cancers. centrally in bronchi, will often show necrosis or cavitation

Question 8

What can be said about adenocarcinoma of the lung?

Answer 8

Most common lung cancer in no smokers, will arise in the periphery and show some fibrosis.
NB bronchioalveolar, arising in small airways.

Question 9

Small cell carcinoma

Answer 9

Linked with smoking and very malignant. often paraneoplastic syndromes. Often peri hilar