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What is Lung Cancer?
Lung cancer is an abnormal growth of lung cells which have the ability to spread to other organs of the body including the lymph glands, adrenal glands, brain, bone and liver. Almost all lung cancers are caused by cigarette smoking. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both men and women in the United States. It is responsible for almost 28 percent of the deaths from all cancers in the United States. |
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What are the Warning Signs?Warning signs associated with lung cancer include persistent cough, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, weight loss, chest pain, coughing up blood and recurrent bronchitis or pneumonia. Because some of these symptoms may not appear until the disease has advanced, early detection of lung cancer sometimes occurs incidentally during screening, diagnostic or routine x-rays and cat scans.When Should I be Tested for Lung Cancer? People with the following conditions should be examined by a physician. Many diseases can cause these symptoms, but investigation of each symptom is indicated.Chronic cough |
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How will My Doctor Test Me for Lung Cancer?Chest x-rays - A chest x-ray is often the first study ordered to evaluate a patient with a complaint of cough or shortness of breath. It allows a photographic image of the lungs to be checked for abnormalities.CAT Scan - Computed tomography is a type of scanning where cross-sectional images of an area are performed to assess tumor size or possible spread. Typical areas scanned include the chest, head, abdomen and pelvis. Bronchoscopy - Bronchoscopy is a procedure which allows direct visualization of the airways by your physician. After a numbing medication and sedation are provided, a special flexible tube is passed through the mouth or nose and into the airways where specimens can be taken, aiding in diagnosis. Sputum Examination - With coughing, tumor cells can be released into the sputum. Collecting an early morning specimen can be very helpful in detecting abnormal cells. PET Scan - The PET scan is a diagnostic tool used to aid in the assessment of tumors. A small dose of a chemical called a radionuclide combined with a sugar is injected into a small intravenous plastic tube in the arm. Because malignant tumors grow at a faster rate than normal tissue, they preferentially take up the sugar and therefore, appear abnormal on the scan. Bone Scan - A bone scan is used to detect areas of bone growth, infection or tumor. This test may be ordered to detect evidence of spread of lung cancer to the bones. |
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