Pathology of Lung Cancers Flashcards
What are common clinical presentations of lung tumors?
Local symptoms: Persistent cough, hemoptysis (coughing up blood), dyspnea (shortness of breath), chest pain, wheezing.
Extrathoracic symptoms: Weight loss, fatigue, anorexia, bone pain, headache, clubbing, and signs of paraneoplastic syndromes (e.g., hypercalcemia, SIADH).
What are the types of lung carcinoma?
Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (NSCLC):
Adenocarcinoma (most common in non-smokers)
Squamous cell carcinoma (often linked to smoking)
Large cell carcinoma (less common, more aggressive)
Small Cell Lung Carcinoma (SCLC):
Highly aggressive and strongly associated with smoking.
What is the epidemiology of primary lung cancer?
Leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.
Risk factors: Smoking (main), exposure to asbestos, radon, air pollution, family history, and occupational exposures (e.g., arsenic, chromium).
Higher incidence in men, though the gap is narrowing as smoking rates in women increase.
What is the pathogenesis of primary lung cancer?
Genetic mutations: Alterations in oncogenes (e.g., EGFR, KRAS) and tumor suppressor genes (e.g., p53).
Carcinogenic exposure: Smoking causes DNA damage leading to mutation and tumor development.
Tumor microenvironment: Inflammation, immune evasion, and angiogenesis contribute to tumor growth and spread.
How does lung cancer spread within the thorax?
Local invasion: Tumor can invade nearby structures like the chest wall, pleura, diaphragm, or mediastinal lymph nodes.
Lymphatic spread: Lung cancer often spreads to lymph nodes in the mediastinum, especially in NSCLC.
How does lung cancer spread outside the thorax?
Hematogenous spread: The cancer can spread through the bloodstream to distant organs, commonly the brain, liver, adrenal glands, and bones.
Extrathoracic symptoms: Distant metastasis may present as neurological symptoms (brain), bone pain (bone metastases), or abdominal symptoms (liver metastases).
