Lung Cancer Flashcards
What are the causes of lung cancer?
Smoking, asbestos. environmental radon, occupational exposure, air pollution, radiation and pulmonary fibrosis
What are two of the major groups of carcinogens found in tobacco smoke?
N-Nitrosamines and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Where are cancers caused by N-Nitrosamines more likely to be found?
The peripheries of the lungs
Where are cancers caused by Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons more likely to be found?
In the central bronchi of the lungs
Which type of cancer can occur in non-smokers?
Adenocarcinoma
Which type of cancer is strongly associated with those who smoke?
Squamous cell carcinoma
What are the four main types of lung carcinomas?
Squamous cell, adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma and large cell carcinoma
When do symptoms generally start to appear in someone with lung cancer?
Late in the natural history, when the disease is advanced
What are the complications of bronchial obstruction?
Bronchial collapse, endogenous lipid pneumonia, infection, abscess and bronchiectasis
What are the local effects of lung cancer?
Bronchial obstruction, pleural inflammation/malignancy, invasion of the chest wall/nerves/mediastinum and lymph node metastasis
What are the distant effects of lung cancer?
Distant metastases (liver, bone etc.) Secondary to Local Effects (neural and vascular) Non-metastatic Effects (e.g. clubbing and gynecomastia)
What investigations can be used to diagnose lung cancer?
- Chest X-Ray
- Bronchoscopy
- Trans-thoracic fine needle aspiration
- Core biopsy
- Pleural effusion
- CT
- MRI
- PET scan
What are the prognostic factors in lung cancer?
Stage of the disease, classification, markers/oncogenes, growth rate, cell proliferation and immune cell infiltration
Name the gene mutations associated with lung cancer
- KRAS
- EGFR
- BRAF and HER2
- ALK
Where do primary lung cancers metastasis to?
- Liver
- Adrenals
- Bone
- Brain
- Skin
