Lung Cancer Flashcards
What are the two types of lung cancer
Small cell
Non-small cell
What can non-small cell be further differentiated into [5]
Adenocarcinoma 45%
SCC 15%
Large cell undifferentiated
Alveolar cell carcinoma
Bronchial adenoma
What are the RF for lung Ca
What is specific to SCC?
What is least related to smoking?) [6]
What is most related to SCC?
What is most related to adenocarcinoma?
Smoking - most related to SCC (least to adenocarcinoma)
Asbestos exposure
Radon (environment)
Chromium, iron oxides
Air pollution
Pulmonary fibrosis
Cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis
SCC - polycyclic aromatic carbons
Adeno - N-nitroxamines
What are the symptoms of lung cancer? [7]
Chronic cough, SOB
Haemoptysis
Pleuritic pain + bone pain
Chest infection (slow resolving + recurrent)
Cancer B-symptoms
Wheezing
Dysphagia
Hoarseness
Lung signs of malignancy [4]
Systemic signs [4]
Local complications of malignancy [5]
Lung signs:
* Stridor
* Consolidation
* Collapsed lung
* Pleural effusion, Pneumothorax
Systemic signs:
* Anaemia - haemolytic
* Clubbing
* Lymphadenopathy (supraclav)
* B symptoms
* DIC
Local complications:
* Hoarseness (laryngeal nerve palsy)
* SOB, orthopnoea (phrenic n. palsy)
* SVC obstruction
* Horner’s syndrome
* Rib erosion, pericarditis, AF
What is Horner’s and what causes [5]
What are skin complications of lung cancer? [2]
Pancoast tumour - in apex pressing on sympathetic ganglion Miosis Ptosis Anhidrosis Enopthalmus
Skin:
- Acanthosis nigricans
- Thrombophlebitis migrans
What are signs of bone metastatic complications of lung cancer? [4]
What other metastases are common in lung cancer? [3]
Bony tenderness
Bone marrow invasion causing anemia
Hypercalcemia
Adrenal mets (Addison’s)
Liver mets (HSM)
Neurological complications
What is squamous associated with [4]
- Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTH-rp) secretion causing hypercalcaemia
- Ectopic TSH = hyperthyroid
- Clubbing
- hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPOA)
What is adenocarcinoma associated with [3]
Clubbing
Gynaecomastia due to HCG
Pulmonary osteoarhtropathy
Initial investigations for suspected lung cancer
- Chest x-ray + CT TAP with contrast (?mets)
CXR may not show anything if mass is central or very small - CT-PET is considered for accurate staging
- MRI thorax for ?chest wall involvement
What is required to achieve a histiological diagnosis in suspected lung cancer?
85% patients presenting with lung cancer should have a histiological dx
EBUS - LN >10mm
Neck US and sampling
Sputum cytology (more dx for central tumours)
Flexible fibro-optic bronchoscopy - for endobronchial and central tumours
CT guided fine needle aspiration if lesion >2cm
Lymph node sampling done by TBNA or EBUS
Flexible vs rigid bronchoscopy
Requirements for CT guided biopsy
Rigid bronchoscopy done under general anaesthetic, gives operator more control and may increase dx yield with difficult cases esp if tumour near carina
Requirements for CT guided biopsy - spirometry, normal sats, can hold breath and lie down flat, FEV1<1L is contraindicated, severe emphysematous lung (high pneumothorax)
20% risk of pneumothorax in CT guided biopsy
CXR nodules differentials [6]
- Malignancy: primary or secondary
- Abscess, Granuloma, encysted effusion, FB
- Carcinoid tumour
- Pulmonary hamartoma
- AV malformation
- Skin tumour e.g. seborrheic wart
- Rounded atelectasis secondary to infection or pleural fibrosis (if attached to chest wall on CT), comet-tail appearance
What does CXR show that suggests malignancy [6]
Pleural effusion - usually unilateral
Peripheral opacity
Invasion
Collapsed lung
Hilar enlarged
Consolidation
What investigation is indicated if there is pleural involvement?
Pleural involvement - VATS for tissue diagnosis
What is needed for accurate staging?
What is the purpose of staging a disease and how does it affect the treatment plan?
CT-PET and LN sampling is key to accurately stage lung cancer.
Poor for detection of slow growing cancer like adenoca and carcinoid tumours
False positive for infective or inflammatory pathology
Sampling of paratracheal and peribronchial LN, mediastinal LN can be taken by mediastinoscopy.
Deciding on treatment plan is either RADICAL (CURATIVE INTENT) or PALLIATIVE
What biomarkers have drugs to target [2]
EGFR
ALK
How do you do T staging [3]
- CT with positron emission tomography (CT-PET)
- Bronchoscopy
N staging [4]
PET
CT
EBUS
Mediastinoscopy
M staging [2]
PET CT
Bone scan
How do you determine fitness for surgery i.e. lobectomy, pneumonectomy? [4]
Co-morbidities
PFT, V/Q - High FEV1 predicts better survival if pneumonectomy is considered.
Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
Where does lung cancer metastasise to [7]
Liver Adrenal Renal - cannon ball Bone Brain Skin LN