Lung Cancer Flashcards
What is stage III lung cancer?
When it is locally advanced i.e. lymph nodes or contralateral lung
What are the risk factors for lung cancer?
- Cigarette smoking
- Passive smoking
- Occupational carcinogens - asbestos, radon
- Pre-existing lung disease esp. fibrotic/scarring lung disease
- Air pollution
- HPV infection
- Genetics e.g. EGFR
What scan would be a good screening tool for lung cancer?
CT
What types of pulmonary nodules identified on CT are more likely to be lung cancer?
- Solid (ground glass soft abnormality less likely)
- > 4mm
What is a type of benign lung nodule?
Benign non-calcified pulmonary nodules
What are possible presenting features of lung cancer (local)?
- Cough
- Dyspnoea
- Chest pain
- Haemoptysis
- Hoarseness
- Dysphagia
What are possible presenting features of lung cancer (systemic)?
- Anorexia and weight loss
- Bone pain
- Clubbing
- Supraclavicular lymph nodes
- Neurological manifestions
When should you suspect lung cancer in a pt?
- Present with change in respiratory symptoms and no alternative explanation
- Esp. if they are at risk
- Second course of abx more expensive than CXR so should do CXR
Why do people with lung cancer often present late?
- Bc pt may have had symptoms suggestive of lung cancer before
- e.g. if have LRTI on a frequent basis or have COPD
- Ignore symptoms until become quite troublesome
What investigations are required for optimum management of lung cancer?
1) Histological diagnosis
2) Accurate staging (CT/PET-CT/pathological staging)
3) Biomarker analysis
What are the two main histological subtypes of lung cancer?
1) Small cell lung cancer (10-15%)
2) Non-small cell lung cancer (80-85%)
Describe small cell lung cancer
- Smokers
- Neuroendocrine
- Lethal - poor prognosis
- Treatment effective in the short term
What are the 4 types of NSCLC?
1) Adenocarcinoma
2) Squamous cell carcinoma (more closely linked to smoking)
3) Large cell carcinoma
4) NSLC-NOS (not otherwise specified)
Describe the typical patient with adenocarcinoma NSCLC
- Most common type in long-term non smokers or never-smokers
- Esp. women
- Delayed diagnosis bc never smoked
- Early 40s/50s
What type of lung cancer does the EGFR mutation cause?
NSCLC lung adenocarcinoma
In ~2% of NSCLC adenocarcinomas what is the cause and why is this important?
- Driver/stem mutations that drive the phenotype
- Treatment is available that is specific to these mutations and highly effective esp. EGFR