Lung cancer today is not a rare pathology. Pathology most often develops on the background of long-term smoking or aggressive ecology, sometimes it is preceded by broncho-pulmonary diseases.
Knowledge of the characteristic signs of this pathology allows timely detection of the tumor and contact the oncologist. And modern diagnostic methods can detect pulmonary cancer at the earliest stages of its development. It is the early diagnosis that ensures the continued success of therapy and gives the oncologist a chance for a long life.
What signs indicate a disease?
With pulmonary cancer, symptoms such as:
- wheezing;
- Prolonged and non-treatable cough;
- Symptoms of dyspnea;
- Pain syndrome that occurs with every attack of cough;
- Sputum production with veins, and sometimes blood clots;
- Lack of operability;
- Broken, persistent sensation of weakness, sluggish condition;
- Frequent causeless temperature jumps;
- Refusal of food.
The presence of such a symptom does not always indicate the development of cancer, but it is worth paying attention to, because it can point to other pathological processes.
Even ordinary breathing causes intense pain, the patient begins to lose weight rapidly. The patient's voice becomes hoarse, swallowing is difficult, there may be cyanosis of the upper half of the body, etc.
How long can a tumor develop in the lung tissue?
The development of pulmonary oncology is divided by specialists into several stages:
- Biological - the stage lasts from the moment of tumor formation and before the appearance of its first manifestations, confirmed by radiography;
- Preclinical - when there are only signs of an x-ray character, usually at this stage patients do not get to the doctor, because they do not bother;
- Clinical period - when there are external symptoms and signs of oncoprocess. Usually the appearance of obvious pathological manifestations causes patients to turn to specialists.
The tumor develops in different ways. The speed of this process is determined by the degree of aggressiveness and histological characteristics.
Sometimes the biological and preclinical periods last for years without causing the patient any suspicions of the disease.
How is lung cancer diagnosed?
Diagnosis of pulmonary oncology is conventionally divided into four specific groups:
- I group - includes techniques that indicate the likely development of the tumor process. This includes medical examination, fluorography and radiographic examination, sputum cytology and fluoroscopy;
- II group helps in the specification of the diagnosis and involves the conduct of CT, radionuclide and bronchoscopic examination, cytological analysis of sputum;
- The III group includes diagnostic morphological techniques that confirm and help to finally determine the diagnosis of pulmonary cancer. This includes the histology and cytology of the biomaterial, in which the role can be a piece of tumor obtained by biopsy or endoscopy, or bronchial discharge;
- The latest , IV group includes diagnostic techniques to assess the prevalence of oncoprocess. For this purpose, an ultrasound, radionuclide and CT examination is performed.
X-ray
A similar study has a high informativeness in 8 out of 10 cases of pulmonary oncology. Only in a few percent of cases of such an oncology in the study show the normal state of the organs.
With a central cancerous form, radiography detects an enlarged vasculature and opacities in the lungs.
The photo shows well what the central cancer of the right lung
looks like on X-rays
If the pulmonary oncology is peripheral, the picture on the X-ray image will show the presence of a clear uneven shadow, from which the ribbon shoots go off the ribbon.
Is lung cancer visible on fluorography?
Pulmonary oncology is detected without difficulty with the help of fluorography research, which for today is considered the most accessible diagnostic method.
In this photo you can see what lung cancer looks like on the photo of the fluorography
. Some people mistakenly believe that such a technique can not show the presence of any tumor processes. It is not right. An experienced radiologist is quite able to detect the presence of any pathological changes in the respiratory system. Therefore, it is not necessary to neglect such a diagnosis.
How to distinguish from tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis processes are often accompanied by hemoptysis, weight loss and other, similar to lung cancer manifestations. But these are different pathologies that specialists distinguish after a thorough diagnostic examination.
Bronchoscopy
This diagnostic procedure consists of a visual examination of the oncological respiratory system through fiber-optic sensing.
The probe is inserted into the bronchial ways. With pulmonary cancer, the lumen of the bronchus narrows, it starts ulcerative processes, displacement and deformation of the walls. In addition, the tracheobronchial lymph nodes increase.
A similar technique in patients is often associated with unpleasant sensations, so before the procedure, a patient may be given a sedative and anesthetic drug.
A bronchoscopic examination usually involves biopsy of tumor tissue. After examination, about a day or two, the patient may expectorate dark blood.
MRI
The method of diagnosis by magnetic resonance imaging is based on the principle of nuclear magnetic resonance in conjunction with the necessary software that handles the obtained data.
But such a procedure is contraindicated in the presence of electronic implants such as artificial heart valves, pacemakers, etc.
Computer tomography
This technique is usually used if the X-ray examination did not give a clear picture of the state of the tumor process.
A similar technique is more preferable than the traditional X-ray examination of , because it is the most sensitive in the presence of tumor pulmonary processes.
The essence of the technique is that during the CT session a huge number of body images are taken in the transverse projection. Sometimes patients for a better and more informative examination are introduced contrast preparations that increase the clarity of the image.
Sputum Cytology
The cytological procedure for the study of sputum is to use a special microscope in the study.
If there are difficulties in collecting the biomaterial, it is obtained with the help of bronchoscopic examination.
Usually, lung cancer in sputum contains squamous atypical fractions that report on the presence of cancer.
This technique applies to the most financially accessible and safe studies, but with limited information, as there are many cases of cancer in which there are no tumor cell structures in the sputum.
Pleural puncture
A similar method of diagnosis is also called thoracocentesis. At times, pulmonary oncology is accompanied by pleural lesions and the formation of pleural effusion.
Sampling of this effusion and its further investigation is called pleural puncture. As a result, the study of the biomaterial obtained reveals cancer cells, which is a proof of the cancer process in the lung tissues.
Surgical methods
There are also operational methods of diagnostics such as thoracotomy and mediastinoscopy. The first technique is based on taking a biopsy of a small piece of the tumor, and the second involves studying the samples of lymph nodes or tumor tissue in which metastases can be localized.
Such diagnostics require conducting in the operating room. Both methods can lead to the development of many complications such as infectious lesions, bleeding, adverse reactions to medications used or anesthesia.
Puncture biopsy
This diagnostic technique is carried out by inserting a thin needle into the focus of the oncology process, through which the biomaterial is collected, then its samples are thoroughly studied. Carrying out a puncture biopsy requires preliminary anesthesia or anesthesia.
Positron Emission Tomography
This diagnostic technique evaluates the functioning of tissues and the activity of metabolic processes.
Images of the affected lung are obtained by exposure to radioactive agents with a short span of action. Positron emission tomography creates images of intraorganic structures in a three-dimensional format.
The patient is given a short-term radioactive preparation, after which it is scanned. During the study, the patient receives radiation comparable to two fluorographic procedures.
Blood test
It is impossible to determine the presence of cancer by laboratory analysis. In a similar study, abnormalities in blood composition and other symptomatology characteristic of oncology processes are detected. The presence or deficiency of certain enzymes may indicate metastases in certain organs.
Staging of
For each stage of the oncological process, the prevalence of cancer in organic structures is typical. The staging of pulmonary cancer is based on the evaluation of tumor parameters, the presence of malignant cells in the lymph nodes, the spread of cancer by internal organs, etc.
Staging refers to the most important diagnostic points that help the oncologist to choose the most appropriate and effective method of therapy. Staging also helps in determining prognostic data regarding the success of the treatment process and overall survival.
Early diagnosis maximizes the success of therapy. Therefore, even with the first symptoms you need to go to a specialist.
Video on bronchoscopic examination and endobronchial ultrasonography in diagnosis of lung cancer: