Signs and Symptoms

Question 1

What are red flags for lung cancer?

Answer 1

• Haemoptysis
• Weight loss
• Persistent cough
• Breathlessness
• Pain
• Clubbing
• Pain in limbs indicating hypertrophic osteoarthropathy

Question 2

What are the non-metastatic manifestations of malignancy?

Answer 2

• Clubbing - SCLC
• Lambert Eaton syndrome (prevents ACh release?
• Myasthenia gravis (blocks ACh acting)
• SIADH
• Cushing’s syndrome

Question 3

What are the symptoms of lung cancer?

Answer 3

• Cough
• Haemoptysis
• Chest pain
• Dyspnoea
• Stridor
• Hoarse voice
• Weight loss
• Facial swelling
• Recurrent or slow resolving pneumonia

Question 4

What are the signs of lung cancer?

Answer 4

• Weight loss
• Clubbing
• Lymphadenopathy - supraclavicular or axillary
• Chest asymmetry
• Focal chest signs - consolidation, collapse, pleural effusion
• Hepatomegaly
• Neuropathy

Question 5

What are local complications of lung cancer?

Answer 5

• Superior vena caval obstruction - facial/hand swelling - worse in mornings and headaches
• Recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy
• Phrenic nerve palsy
• Horner’s syndrome
• Pericarditis
• AF

Question 6

What are the signs and symptoms of hypercalcaemia?

Answer 6

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Lethargy > coma
• Cramping of gut
• N + V
• Anorexia
• Sinus/ventricular arrhythmias

Question 7

What are the clinical features of malignant mesothelioma?

Answer 7

• Chest pain
• Dyspnoea
• Weight loss
• Finger clubbing
• Recurrent painless pleural effusions
• Signs of metastases: lymphadenopathy, hepatomegaly, bone pain/tenderness, abdominal pain/obstruction
• Hx of asbestos exposure