Respiratory pathology Flashcards
What are common symptoms of lung cancer?
Haemoptysis (coughing up blood) Cough Chest/Shoulder Pain Dyspnoea Recurrent infections
what is TNM staging?
Tumour
Nodes
Metastases
what is the T stage dependant on?
T staging is based on:
- Location
- Size
- Proximity to other organs
what can cause higher T staging?
If the tumour is closer to the mediastinum or the chest wall then it has a HIGHER T STAGING.
-this is irrespective of its size.
if the tumour spreads to the lymph nodes in the neck then there is higher staging
when is surgery not practical?
If the lymph nodes has spread to the lymph nodes
How do PET scans work?
- Patients fast for 4 hours and are then given radiolabelled glucose
- the lungs are not metabolically active but the tumour is very metabolically active
- the kidneys are naturally very metabolically active
what are the features for Small cell lung cancer?
Usually grows rapidly and metastasise early
what is the treatment for small cell lung cancer?
Chemotherapy and radiotherapy
What is the best treatment for local non-small cell lung cancer, if it is localised?
Surgery
what is measurement when we can make a diagnosis of the tumour?
10 mm.
How can samples be acquired for cytological analysis?
Cytology - looking at individual cells
- Sputum
- Bronchial washings and brushing
- Pleural fluid
- Endoscopic fine needle aspiration of tumour/enlarged lymph nodes
- lavage
How can samples be acquired for histological analysis?
Histology - looking at tissues
Biopsy
- Central tumour - bronchoscopy
- Peripheral tumours - CT guided biopsy through skin
Surgical biopsy :
- Mediastinal lymph node biopsy - for staging
- Open biopsy at time of surgery if lesion not accessible otherwise - “frozen section”
- Ultimate “biopsy” Resection specimen - confirm excision and staging
what type of cells can tumours form from?
- epithelial
- mesenchymal (soft tissue)
- Lymphoid
what are some features of benign tumours?
- Do not metastasise
- can cause local complications e.g. obstruction of the airways
- Do NOT invade adjacent tissues
- grow more slowly
What are the three types of non-small cell carcinoma? What percentage of lung cancers are non-small cell?
Non-Small Cell = 80%
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Adenocarcinoma
- Large cell carcinoma
How are the incidences of squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma changing?
Squamous cell carcinoma incidence is decreasing
Adenocarcinoma incidence is increasing- this is the most common form of lung cancer among Non-smokers.