Also known as carcinoma of the lung or pulmonary carcinoma, is a malignant lung tumor characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung by process of metastasis into nearby tissue or other parts of the body.
Signs and symptoms which may suggest lung cancer include:
• Respiratory symptoms: coughing, coughing up blood, wheezing or shortness of breath
• Systemic symptoms: weight loss, fever, clubbing of the fingernails, or fatigue
• Symptoms due to the cancer mass pressing on adjacent structures: chest pain, bone pain, superior vena cava obstruction, difficulty swallowing
If the cancer grows in the airways, it may
- Obstructed airflow, causing breathing difficulties.
- The obstruction can lead to accumulation of secretions behind the blockage, and predispose to pneumonia
Include
• Chest radiograph : is one of the first investigative steps if a person reports symptoms that may suggest lung cancer. This may reveal an obvious mass, widening of the mediastinum
atelectasis (collapse), consolidation (pneumonia) or pleural effusion
• CT imaging: is typically used to provide more information about the type and extent of disease.
• Bronchoscopy or CT-guided biopsy is often used to sample the tumor for histopathology.
Treatment for lung cancer depends on the:
- Cancer's specific cell type
- How far it has spread and the
- Person's performance status.
Common treatments include:
- Palliative care
- Surgery,
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy.
Consult at Aadil Hospital for medically and surgical treatment.
