Lung cancer - early symptoms and signs. Lung cancer: signs, symptoms, stages and treatment. Signs of lung cancer

Date: 21.10.2019

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The symptoms and signs of lung cancer in the early stages can resemble other diseases and do not cause much concern, which can lead to a late start of treatment.

These signs of lung cancer include:

the periodic appearance and disappearance of hoarseness of the voice due to the pressure of growing metastases on the recurrent nerve;
unsystematic dry cough;
labored, wheezing due to proliferation of metastases;
pain in the chest and neighboring areas;
predominantly difficult process of inhalation of air, expressed in pain and shortness of breath;
a slight increase in temperature to 37-37.5 degrees in the evening;
unjustified sharp weight loss;
decreased performance, fatigue, depressed state.

It should be noted that the presence of such facts may indicate simple pulmonary diseases. However, such first signs may not only be the beginning of a cold, flu or sore throat, but also a very serious oncological disease -. In more cases, this disease is detected only at stages 3-4. In such cases, treatment is not so effective, which is why annual examinations are of particular importance!

In the later stages of the development of the disease, chest pain increases, with damage to nerve fibers, there is pain in the shoulder or the inside of the arm, as well as when swallowing and passing food through the esophagus, coughing becomes common, sputum appears, and lymph nodes increase.

However, signs of lung cancer in both early and late stages may indicate the presence of other ailments. How then to determine lung cancer? Oncologists are advised to seek help if:

swelling of the face and the entire upper body;
the complexion became gray and dull, and the skin casts yellow.
marked expansion of veins in the chest area;
inflamed lymph nodes in the axillary and supraclavicular areas;
pain in bones and joints;
difficult passage of food through the pharynx and esophagus due to pain;
one of blood relatives was ill with oncology;
the presence of such a bad habit as smoking amid the detection of other symptoms.

Symptoms and signs of lung cancer are almost the same in adults and children, in contrast to the causes of its occurrence. In children, the cause in most cases is a change in the structure of DNA during fetal development. The factor of such changes is heredity. In adults, oncology may appear, in addition to heredity, due to environmental factors and lifestyle.

Depending on how lung cancer manifests itself in adults and what distinguishing features are observed, one can judge not only the stage of the disease, but also its form.

Signs of lung cancer of central origin:

at stages 1-2 - sputum with blood when coughing; pain on the side of the tumor or with the opposite; intense shortness of breath;
at stages 3-4 - paralysis of the vocal cords due to compression of the vagus nerve; swelling, puffiness of the face, redness of the skin due to stagnation of venous blood in the upper body; headaches, fainting, visual impairment due to outflow of blood from the brain.

A typical feature of this type of disease is the appearance and development of atelectasis, and then pneumonia.

The most difficult diagnosis of the peripheral form of the disease, because symptomatology is almost not observed in patients. Manifestations begin when metastases begin to spread into adjacent tissues, which causes pain. Pain in the chest region of a constant or coming nature occurs in most patients. Indications of this type include:

shortness of breath and chest pain, most often in the area where the tumor formed;
sputum when coughing, as well as intoxication of the body at stages 3-4.

The small cell form of the disease is quite rare, characterized by a uniform distribution of foci of oncological neoplasms over the entire surface of the tissue. Her indicators are:

paraneoplastic syndrome is added to the above, which manifests itself in pain in the joints and bones of the skeleton in violation of the metabolism of minerals in the body;
in the later stages, the signs progress and become more pronounced.

With a disseminated form of the disease, it is impossible to detect the site of the first focus, and the symptomatology does not differ from the previous ones.

What are the symptoms of lung cancer in adult men?

The course of the disease depends not only on the form, but also on the gender of the patient. Smoking dramatically increases the chances of the onset of the disease, it is especially important for the male to know this, because they are prone to this addiction more often than women.

Atypical signs of lung cancer in adult men include:

breast enlargement with small cell form;
sharp unmotivated weight loss;
depression, irritability, fatigue.

What are the symptoms of lung cancer in women?

In the structure of women's DNA there is a gene responsible for the formation and development of lung metastases in case of smoking. That is why smoking is strictly contraindicated for female representatives, as may cause this disease to appear.

Atypical signs of lung cancer in women include:

jaundice, which indicates the spread of cancer in the liver;
disruptions in the hormonal system, expressed in rapid loss or weight gain, menstrual irregularities;

disorders of the nervous system, which are manifested in problems with sleep, depressive states, increased irritability, sudden mood swings, etc.

Lung cancer is the most common localization of the oncological process, characterized by a fairly latent course and the early appearance of metastases. The incidence of lung cancer depends on the area of \u200b\u200bresidence, the degree of industrialization, climatic and industrial conditions, gender, age, genetic predisposition and other factors.

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer is a malignant neoplasm that develops from the glands and mucous membrane of the lung tissue and bronchi. In the modern world, lung cancer among all oncological diseases occupies the top line. According to statistics, this oncology affects men eight times more often than women, and it was noted that the older the age, the much higher the incidence rate.

The development of lung cancer is not the same for tumors of different histological structures. Differentiated squamous cell carcinoma is characterized by a slow course, undifferentiated cancer develops rapidly and gives extensive metastases.

Small cell lung cancer has the most malignant course:

develops stealthily and quickly,
metastasizes early
has a poor prognosis.

More often the tumor occurs in the right lung - in 52%, in the left lung - in 48% of cases.

The main group of cases is long-term smoking men aged 50 to 80 years, this category makes up 60-70% of all cases of lung cancer, and mortality - 70-90%.

According to some researchers, the structure of the incidence of various forms of this pathology depending on age is as follows:

up to 45 - 10% of all cases;
from 46 to 60 years - 52% of cases;
from 61 to 75 years –38% of cases.

Until recently, lung cancer was considered a predominantly male disease. Currently, there is an increase in the incidence of women and a decrease in the age of the initial detection of the disease.

Kinds

Depending on the location of the primary tumor, there are:

Central cancer. It is located in the main and lobar bronchi.
Airy. This tumor develops from small bronchi and bronchioles.

Allocate:

Small cell cancer (less common) is a very aggressive neoplasm, as it can spread very quickly throughout the body by metastasizing to other organs. As a rule, small cell cancer occurs in smokers, and by the time of diagnosis, 60% of patients have widespread metastasis.
Non-small cell (80–85% of cases) - has a negative prognosis, combines several forms of morphologically similar types of cancer with a similar cell structure.

Anatomical classification:

central - affects the main, lobar and segmental bronchi;
peripheral - epithelial lesions of smaller bronchi, bronchioles and alveolus;
massive (mixed).

The progression of the neoplasm goes through three stages:

Biological - the period between the appearance of the neoplasm and the manifestation of the first symptoms.
Asymptomatic - external signs of the pathological process do not appear at all, they become noticeable only on the radiograph.
Clinical - a period when noticeable symptoms appear in cancer, which becomes an incentive for a rush to the doctor.

Causes of occurrence

The main causes of lung cancer:

smoking, including passive smoking (about 90% of all cases);
contact with carcinogens;
inhalation of radon and asbestos fibers;
hereditary predisposition;
age category over 50 years old;
the influence of harmful production factors;
radiation exposure;
the presence of chronic respiratory diseases and endocrine pathologies;
cicatricial changes in the lungs;
viral infections;
air pollution.

The disease develops secretively for a long time. The tumor begins to form in the glands and mucous membranes, but metastases overgrow throughout the body very quickly. Risk factors for malignant neoplasms are:

air pollution;
smoking;
viral infections;
hereditary causes;
harmful production conditions.

Please note: cancer cells that infect the lungs divide very quickly, spreading the tumor throughout the body and destroying other organs. Therefore, an important point is the timely diagnosis of the disease. The earlier lung cancer is detected and its treatment is started, the higher the chance of extending the patient's life span.

The very first signs of lung cancer

The first symptoms of lung cancer often do not have a direct relationship with the respiratory system. Patients for a long time turn to different specialists of a different profile, are examined for a long time and, accordingly, receive improper treatment.

Signs and symptoms of early lung cancer:

subfebrile temperature, which is not confused by drugs and extremely exhausting the patient (during this period, the body undergoes internal intoxication);
weakness and fatigue in the morning;
itchy skin with the development of dermatitis, and, possibly, the appearance of growths on the skin (caused by the allergic effect of malignant cells);
muscle weakness and increased swelling;
disorders of the central nervous system, in particular, dizziness (up to fainting), impaired coordination of movements or loss of sensitivity.

If these signs appear, be sure to contact a pulmonologist to undergo a diagnosis and clarify the diagnosis.

Stages

Faced with lung cancer, many do not know how to determine the stage of the disease. In oncology, when assessing the nature and degree of lung cancer disease, 4 stages of the disease are classified.

However, the duration of any stage is strictly individual for each patient. It depends on the size of the neoplasm and the presence of metastases, as well as on the speed of the disease.

Allocate:

Stage 1 - the tumor is less than 3 cm. It is located within the boundaries of a segment of the lung or one bronchus. There are no metastases. Symptoms are difficult to distinguish or none at all.
2 - a tumor up to 6 cm, located within the boundaries of a segment of the lung or bronchus. Single metastases in individual lymph nodes. Symptoms are more pronounced, hemoptysis, pain, weakness, loss of appetite appears.
3 - the tumor exceeds 6 cm, penetrates into other parts of the lung or neighboring bronchi. Numerous metastases. The symptoms are added blood in the mucopurulent sputum, shortness of breath.

How does the last 4 stages of lung cancer manifest?

At this stage of lung cancer, the tumor metastasizes to other organs. Five-year survival is 1% for small cell carcinoma and 2 to 15% for non-small cell carcinoma

The patient has the following symptoms:

Constant pain in breathing, which is difficult to live with.
Chest pain
Weight loss and appetite
Blood coagulates slowly, often fractures (bone metastases) occur.
The appearance of attacks of severe coughing, often with the release of sputum, sometimes with blood and pus.
The appearance of severe pain in the chest, which directly indicates damage to nearby tissues, since there are no pain receptors in the lungs themselves.
Cancer symptoms also include heavy breathing and shortness of breath, if the cervical lymph nodes are affected, difficulty in speaking is felt.

For small cell lung cancer, which develops rapidly, and in a short time affects the body, there are only 2 stages of development:

limited stage, when cancer cells are localized in one lung and tissues located in close proximity.
extensive or extensive stage, when the tumor metastasizes to the area outside the lung and to distant organs.

Lung cancer symptoms

The clinical manifestations of lung cancer depend on the primary location of the neoplasm. At the initial stage, the disease is most often asymptomatic. In later stages, general and specific signs of cancer may appear.

The early, first symptoms of lung cancer are not specific, and usually do not cause anxiety, these include:

unmotivated fatigue
decreased appetite
slight weight loss may be observed
cough
specific symptoms cough with "rusty" sputum, shortness of breath, hemoptysis join in later stages
pain indicates the inclusion of nearby organs and tissues

Specific symptoms of lung cancer:

Cough - causeless, paroxysmal, debilitating, but not dependent on physical activity, sometimes with greenish sputum, which may indicate the central location of the tumor.
Dyspnea. Lack of air and shortness of breath first appear in case of tension, and with the development of a tumor, the patient is disturbed even when lying down.
Pain in the chest. When the tumor process affects the pleura (the lining of the lung), where the nerve fibers and endings are located, the patient develops excruciating pains in the chest. They are sharp and aching, constantly disturbed or dependent on breathing and physical stress, but most often they are located on the side of the affected lung.
Hemoptysis. Typically, a meeting between a doctor and a patient occurs after blood begins to flow out of the mouth and nose with sputum. This symptom indicates that the tumor began to affect the vessels.

Stages of lung cancer	Symptoms
1	dry cough; weakness; loss of appetite; malaise; temperature increase; headache.
2	The disease manifests itself: hemoptysis; wheezing during breathing; weight loss; fever; increased cough; chest pains; weakness.
3	Signs of cancer appear: increased wet cough; blood, pus in the sputum; difficulty breathing dyspnea; trouble swallowing; hemoptysis; sharp weight loss; epilepsy, speech impairment, with small cell form; intense pain.
4	Symptoms worsen, this is the last stage of cancer.

Signs of lung cancer in men

Exhausting cough, frequent - this is one of the first signs of lung cancer. Subsequently, sputum appears, its color may become greenish-yellow. With physical labor or hypothermia, coughing fits intensify.
When breathing, a whistle appears, shortness of breath;
A pain syndrome appears in the chest area. It can be considered a sign of oncology in the presence of the first two symptoms.
When coughing, in addition to sputum, discharge may appear in the form of blood clots.
Attacks of apathy, increased loss of strength, increased fatigue;
With normal nutrition, the patient rapidly loses weight;
In the absence of inflammatory processes, colds, body temperature is increased;
The voice becomes hoarse, this is due to damage to the nerve of the larynx;
From the neoplasm, pain in the shoulder may appear;
Trouble swallowing. This is due to a tumor in the walls of the esophagus and respiratory tract;
Muscle weakness. Patients, as a rule, do not pay attention to this symptom;
Dizziness;
Heart rhythm disturbance.

Lung cancer in women

Important signs of lung cancer in women are discomfort in the chest area. They appear in different intensities depending on the form of the disease. Discomfort becomes especially severe if the intercostal nerves are involved in the pathological process. It practically does not lend itself to stopping and does not leave the patient.

Unpleasant sensations are of the following types:

stitching;
cutting;
herpes zoster.

Along with common symptoms, there are signs of lung cancer in women:

changes in voice timbre (hoarseness);
enlarged lymph nodes;
violation of swallowing function;
pain in the bones;
frequent fractures;
jaundice - with metastasis to the liver.

The presence of one or more signs characteristic of a single category of diseases of the respiratory organs should cause an immediate appeal to a specialist.

A person who notes the above symptoms should inform the doctor about them or supplement the information he collects with the following information:

attitude to smoking with pulmonary symptoms;
the presence of cancer in blood relatives;
gradual strengthening of one of the above symptoms (is a valuable addition, as it indicates the slow development of the disease, characteristic of oncology);
acute amplification of symptoms against a background of chronic previous malaise, general weakness, decreased appetite and body weight - this is also a variant of carcinogenesis.

Diagnostics

How is lung cancer determined? Up to 60% of lung cancer lesions are detected during prophylactic fluorography at different stages of development.

At stage 1, only 5-15% of patients with lung cancer are registered
2 - 20-35%
At 3 stages -50-75%
4 - more than 10%

Diagnosis for suspected lung cancer includes:

general clinical blood and urine tests;
biochemical blood test;
cytological studies of sputum, flushing from the bronchi, pleural exudate;
assessment of physical data;
radiography of the lungs in 2 projections, linear tomography, CT of the lungs;
bronchoscopy (fibrobronchoscopy);
pleural puncture (in the presence of effusion);
diagnostic thoracotomy;
a calcified biopsy of the lymph nodes.

Early diagnosis gives hope for a cure. The most reliable way in this case is an X-ray of the lungs. Clarify the diagnosis using endoscopic bronchography. With its help, you can determine the size and location of the tumor. In addition, a cytological examination is mandatory - a biopsy.

Lung cancer treatment

The first thing I want to say about is that treatment is carried out only by a doctor! No self-medication! This is a very important point. Indeed, the sooner you seek the help of a specialist, the greater the chances of a favorable outcome of the disease.

The choice of a specific treatment tactic depends on many factors:

Stage of the disease;
The histological structure of carcinoma;
The presence of concomitant pathologies;
A combination of all the above fatkors.

There are several complementary treatments for lung cancer:

Surgical intervention;
Radiation therapy;
Chemotherapy.

Surgery

Surgery is the most effective method, which is shown only in stages 1 and 2. These types are divided:

Radical - the primary tumor focus and regional lymph nodes are subject to removal;
Palliative - aimed at maintaining the patient's condition.

Chemotherapy

When detecting small cell cancer, the leading treatment method is chemotherapy, since this form of the tumor is most sensitive to conservative treatment methods. The effectiveness of chemotherapy is quite high and allows you to achieve a good effect for several years.

Chemotherapy is of the following types:

therapeutic - to reduce metastasis;
adjuvant - used for prophylactic purposes to prevent relapse;
non-adnexative - just before surgery to reduce tumors. It also helps to identify the level of sensitivity of cells to drug treatment, and to establish its effectiveness.

Radiation therapy

Another treatment method is radiation therapy: it is used for undetectable lung tumors of the 3-4th stage; it allows achieving good results in small cell cancer, especially in combination with chemotherapy. The standard dosage for radiation treatment is 60-70 gray.

The use of radiation therapy for lung cancer is considered as a separate method if the patient abandoned the chemistry, and resection is impossible.

Forecast

Probably no experienced doctor will undertake to make accurate predictions for lung cancer. This disease can behave unpredictably, which is largely due to the variety of histological variants of the structure of tumors.

However, the cure of the patient is still possible. Usually, leads to a successful outcome using a combination of surgery and radiation therapy.

How many people live with lung cancer?

Untreated almost 90% of patients after the detection of the disease do not live more than 2 - 5 years;
in surgical treatment 30% of patients have a chance to live more than 5 years;
with a combination of surgical, radiation and chemotherapy a chance to live more than 5 years appears in another 40% of patients.

Do not forget about prevention, this includes:

healthy lifestyle: proper nutrition and exercise
giving up bad habits, especially smoking

Prevention

Lung cancer prevention includes the following recommendations:

Quitting bad habits, primarily smoking;
Compliance with a healthy lifestyle: proper nutrition rich in vitamins and daily physical activity, walks in the fresh air.
In time to treat diseases of the bronchi, so that there is no transition to a chronic form.
Airing the room, daily wet cleaning of the apartment;
Contact with harmful chemicals and heavy metals should be reduced to a minimum. During operation, it is imperative to use protective equipment: respirators, masks.

If you have any symptoms that are described in this article, be sure to see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

How to identify the early symptoms (signs) of lung cancer in men and women at an early stage

Lung cancer is a malignant degeneration that develops from the epithelium of the bronchi or lungs. Bronchogenic carcinoma (the second name of the disease) is characterized by rapid development and the formation of numerous metastases in the early stages.

Spread

The risk group includes the entire population of large cities, smoking lovers.

Lung cancer is almost 10 times more likely to be diagnosed in men than in women, and the older the person, the greater the chance of developing the disease.

Among the inhabitants of Russia, this is the most common tumor. Leading in terms of mortality among men: Scotland, Holland, England, among women - Hong Kong. At the same time, the disease is practically not found in Brazil, Guatemala, Syria.

Origin of the disease

How exactly the transformation of ordinary cells into oncological science takes place is still not known exactly. It is proved that this happens under the influence of chemicals - carcinogens. Reborn cells divide non-stop, the tumor grows. Upon reaching a sufficiently large size, it grows in adjacent organs (heart, stomach, spine).

Metastases are formed from individual cancer cells that enter the bloodstream and lymph into other organs. Most often metastases are found in the lymph nodes, brain, liver, kidneys, bones.

Causes of the disease

The main and only reason is damage to the DNA of cells under the influence of carcinogenic factors, namely:

Smoking is the main factor causing up to 80% of cases. In tobacco smoke, a huge amount of carcinogens, it also suppresses the immune system;
radiation exposure - The second cause of cancer. Radiation damages cell genetics, causing mutations leading to cancer;
second hand smoke - The main cause of cancer in non-smokers;
hazardous work - coal mining, metallurgical, woodworking, asbestos cement enterprises;
chronic inflammation - pneumonia, chronic bronchitis. transferred tuberculosis, causing damage to lung tissue. The more damage - the higher the percentage of cancer;
dusty air - with an increase in air dust by 1%, the risk of a tumor increases by 15%;
viruses - according to recent data, viruses have the ability to damage cellular DNA, which causes uncontrolled cell division.

The first symptoms (signs)

The first symptoms are not characteristic and do not cause a suspicion of cancer:

Dry cough;
lack of appetite ;
weakness
weight loss ;
with the development of the disease gradually appears sputum cough - purulent mucosa, with blood inclusions;
with an increase in the tumor. reaching her neighboring organs appears shortness of breath and chest pain .

Symptoms of early lung cancer

Symptoms at an early stage are manifested only in central cancer, when the tumor is in large bronchi:

Coughing. not passing more than 2 weeks;
fatigue and weakness;
periodic slight increase in temperature for no apparent reason.

In peripheral cancer, when the tumor is in the small bronchi or pulmonary parenchyma, the early stage of the disease is completely asymptomatic. The only way to detect cancer is regular fluorography.

Symptoms of lung cancer in women and men are identical.

The complex of symptoms (signs) in lung cancer

Pulmonary - cough, chest pain, hoarseness, shortness of breath;
extrapulmonary - the temperature keeps slightly above 37 ° C, rapid weight loss, weakness, headache or hypochondrium;
hormonal - high blood calcium or low - sodium, skin rash, thickening of the joints of the fingers. The initial diagnosis is established in the presence of at least one symptom in each complex.

Stages of lung cancer

Stage 1 - the tumor is less than 3 cm. It is located within the boundaries of a segment of the lung or one bronchus. There are no metastases. Symptoms are difficult to distinguish or none at all.

Stage 2 - a tumor up to 6 cm, located within the boundaries of a segment of the lung or bronchus. Single metastases in individual lymph nodes. Symptoms are more pronounced, hemoptysis, pain, weakness, loss of appetite appears.

Stage 3 - the tumor exceeds 6 cm, penetrates into other parts of the lung or neighboring bronchi. Numerous metastases. The symptoms are added blood in the mucopurulent sputum, shortness of breath.

Stage 4 - the tumor grows beyond the lungs. Extensive metastases. Cancer pleurisy develops. Symptoms are pronounced, symptoms are added from neighboring affected systems (digestive, cardiovascular). This is the last, incurable stage of the disease.

Kinds

Small cell lung cancer - The most aggressively developing, rapidly growing and giving numerous metastases in the early stages. It is rare, usually in smokers.
Squamous - the most common, develops slowly from squamous epithelial cells.
Adenocarcinoma - formed from mucous cells.
Large cell - More often affects women. It has a poor prognosis, a quick fatal outcome.

Diagnostics

Radiography - in a direct and lateral projection. Helps detect dimming, displacement of organs, size of lymph nodes;
cT scan - gives a more detailed picture, helps in identifying small tumors;
bronchoscopy - the ability to see the condition of the bronchi from the inside and take material for a biopsy;
needle biopsy - is made through the skin when the tumor is located in the small bronchi;
oncological markers - specific markers in the blood or tissues are detected. A promising, but at the moment not very accurate method;
tumor biopsy - the study of material under a microscope and the detection of cancer cells. Gives the most accurate picture of the disease.

Differential diagnosis

Differentiation is carried out with pneumonia, benign tumors, tuberculosis, lung cysts. It is usually difficult due to lung diseases associated with cancer.

Do you have difficulty breathing, accompanied by a cough and a constant feeling of tiredness? Get acquainted with the symptoms of tuberculosis and learn how to get rid of a serious illness!

A differential diagnosis should be based only on a full comprehensive study, and the main role in this is given to biopsies.

Forecast

In general, the prognosis is poor compared to other oncological diseases. The prognosis is affected by the stage of the tumor and the presence of metastases.
A favorable prognosis in half the cases is possible only with an early stage of cancer and the absence of metastases.

How many live with lung cancer

Untreated almost 90% of patients after the detection of the disease do not live more than 2 - 5 years;
in surgical treatment 30% of patients have a chance to live more than 5 years;
with a combination of surgical, radiation and chemotherapy a chance to live more than 5 years appears in another 40% of patients.

Only early diagnosis of the disease makes it possible to cure and will not die in the next 5 years.

People at risk, especially smokers, should clearly remember the first signs of the disease and regularly do fluorography .

If you find the first signs of lung cancer, as well as any lasting pulmonary diseases, you should immediately consult a pulmonologist.

- malignant tumors originating in the mucosa and glands of the bronchi and lungs. Cancer cells divide rapidly, increasing the tumor. Without proper treatment, it grows in the heart, brain, blood vessels, esophagus, spine. The bloodstream carries cancer cells throughout the body, forming new metastases. There are three phases of cancer development:

The biological period - from the moment of the appearance of the tumor to the fixation of its signs on x-rays (1-2 degrees).
Preclinical - the asymptomatic period manifests itself only in x-rays (2-3 degree).
Clinical and other signs of the disease (3-4 degree).

Causes

The mechanisms of cell degeneration are not fully understood. But thanks to numerous studies, chemicals have been identified that can accelerate the transformation of cells. All risk factors are grouped according to two criteria.

Reasons independent of the person:

Genetic addiction: at least three cases of a similar disease in the family or the presence of a similar diagnosis in a close relative, the presence of one patient with several different forms of cancer.
Age after 50 years.
Tuberculosis, bronchitis, pneumonia, scars on the lungs.
Endocrine system problems.

Modifiable factors (what can be influenced):

Smoking is a major prerequisite for lung cancer. When burning tobacco, 4,000 carcinogens are released, covering the bronchial mucosa and burning out living cells. Together with blood, poison enters the brain, kidneys, and liver. Carcinogens settle in the lungs for the rest of their lives, covering them with soot. Smoking experience of 10 years or 2 packs of cigarettes a day increases the chance of getting sick by 25 times. At risk and passive smokers: 80% of the exhaled smoke goes to them.
Professional contacts: factories related to asbestos, metallurgical enterprises; cotton, linen and sculpted plants; contact with poisons (arsenic, nickel, cadmium, chromium) in the workplace; mining (coal, radon); rubber production.
Bad ecology, radioactive contamination. The systematic effect of air polluted by cars and factories on the lungs of the urban population changes the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.

Classification

There are several types of classification. In Russia, five forms of cancer are distinguished, depending on the location of the tumor.

Central cancer - in the lumen of the bronchi. At the first degree, it is not detected in the pictures (masking the heart). The diagnosis may be indicated by indirect signs with an x-ray: a decrease in the airiness of the lung or regular local inflammation. All this is combined with an annoying cough with blood, shortness of breath, later chest pains, fever.
Peripheral cancer embedded in an array of lungs. There is no pain, the diagnosis is determined by x-ray. Patients refuse treatment without realizing that the disease is progressing. Options:
- Cancer of the apex of the lung grows in the vessels and nerves of the shoulder. In such patients, osteochondrosis is treated for a long time, and they get to the oncologist late.
- The cavity form appears after the decay of the central part due to lack of nutrition. Neoplasms up to 10 cm, they are confused with an abscess, cysts, tuberculosis, which complicates the treatment.
Pneumonia-like cancer treated with antibiotics. Not getting the proper effect, they end up in oncology. The tumor is distributed diffusely (not a node), occupying most of the lung.
Atypical forms: cerebral, hepatic, and bone metastases in lung cancer, and not the tumor itself.
- The hepatic form is characterized by jaundice, heaviness in the right hypochondrium, deterioration in tests, enlargement of the liver.
- The brain looks like a stroke: the limb does not work, speech is disturbed, the patient loses consciousness, headache, cramps, bifurcation.
- Bone - pain symptoms in the spine, pelvic region, limbs, fractures without injuries.
Metastatic neoplasms come from a tumor of another organ with the ability to grow, paralyzing the organ. Metastases up to 10 cm lead to death from decay products and dysfunctions of internal organs. The source - the maternal tumor is not always able to determine.

According to the histological structure (type of cells), lung cancer happens:

Small cell - the most aggressive tumor, quickly invades and metastatic in the early stages. The frequency of occurrence is 20%. The forecast is 16 months. with uncommon cancer and 6 months. - with common.
Non-small cell more common, characterized by relatively slow growth. There are three types:
- squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (from flat plate cells with slow growth and low incidence of early metastases, with keratinization sites), prone to necrosis, ulcers, ischemia. 15% survival.
- adenocarcinoma develops from glandular cells. It spreads quickly through the bloodstream. Survival rate of 20% with palliative treatment, 80% during surgery.
- large cell cancer has several varieties, asymptomatic, occurs in 18% of cases. Average survival of 15% (depending on type).

Stages

Lung cancer 1 degree. A tumor is up to 3 cm in diameter or a bronchial tumor in one lobe, there are no metastases in neighboring lymph nodes.
Lung cancer 2 degrees. A tumor in the lung 3-6cm, blocks the bronchi, growing in the pleura, causing atelectasis (loss of airiness).
Lung cancer 3 degrees. A tumor of 6-7 cm passes to neighboring organs, atelectasis of the entire lung, the presence of metastases in neighboring lymph nodes (lung root and mediastinum, supraclavicular zones).
Lung cancer 4 degrees. The tumor grows in the heart, large vessels, there is fluid in the pleural cavity.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of lung cancer

Fast weight loss
no appetite,
drop in performance
sweating
unstable temperature.

Specific features:

cough, debilitating, for no apparent reason - a companion of bronchial cancer. The color of sputum changes to yellow-green. In a horizontal position, physical exercises, in the cold, coughing attacks become more frequent: a tumor growing in the area of \u200b\u200bthe bronchial tree irritates the mucous membrane.
Blood when coughing is pinkish or scarlet, with clots, but hemoptysis is also a sign.
Dyspnea due to pneumonia, decay of a part of the lung due to tumor blockage of the bronchus. With tumors in large bronchi, there may be a disconnection of the organ.
Chest pain due to the introduction of cancer into the serous tissue (pleura), germination in the bone. At the beginning of the disease, there are no alarm signals, the appearance of pain indicates a neglected stage. Pain can be given to the arm, neck, back, shoulder, aggravated by coughing.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of lung cancer is not an easy task, because oncology looks like pneumonia, abscesses, tuberculosis. More than half of the tumors were detected too late. For the purpose of prevention, an x-ray should be taken annually. If you suspect cancer are:

Fluorography to determine tuberculosis, pneumonia, lung tumors. In case of deviations, an x-ray must be taken.
Radiography of the lungs more accurately evaluates the pathology.
Layered X-ray tomography of the problem area - several sections with the focus of the disease in the center.
Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging with the introduction of contrast on layered slices shows in detail, refines the diagnosis by explicit criteria.
Bronchoscopy diagnoses tumors of central cancer. You can see the problem and take a biopsy - a piece of affected tissue for analysis.
Tumor markers examine blood for protein produced only by a tumor. The NSE tumor marker is used for small cell carcinoma, SSC, CYFRA markers find squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, CEA is a universal marker. The diagnostic level is low, it is used after treatment for the early detection of metastases.
Sputum analysis with a low percentage of probability suggests the presence of a tumor in the detection of atypical cells.
Thoracoscopy - examination through punctures of the chamber into the pleural cavity. Allows you to take a biopsy and clarify the changes.
A computed tomography biopsy is used when there is a doubt in the diagnosis.

The examination should be comprehensive, because the cancer masquerades as many diseases. Sometimes they even use a diagnostic operation.

Treatment

Type (, radiological, palliative,) is selected based on the stage of the process, histological type of tumor, history). The most reliable method is surgery. With lung cancer of the 1st stage, 70-80%, of the 2nd stage - 40%, of the 3rd stage -15-20% of patients undergo a five-year control period. Types of operations:

Removal of the lobe of the lung - meets all the principles of treatment.
Edge resection removes only the tumor. Metastases are treated in other ways.
Removal of the lung completely (pneumoectomy) - with a tumor of 2 degrees for central cancer, 2-3 degrees - for peripheral.
Combined operations - with the removal of part of neighboring affected organs.

Chemotherapy has become more effective thanks to new drugs. Small cell lung cancer lends itself well to polychemotherapy. With the right combination (taking into account sensitivity, 6-8 courses with an interval of 3-4 weeks), the survival time is increased by 4 times. Chemotherapy for lung cancer. conducted by courses and gives a positive result for several years.

Non-small cell cancer is resistant to chemotherapy (partial resorption of the tumor - in 10-30% of patients, complete - rarely), but modern polychemotherapy increases survival by 35%.

They are also treated with platinum preparations - the most effective, but also the most toxic, and therefore they are administered with a large (up to 4 l) amount of liquid. Adverse reactions are possible: nausea, intestinal disorders, cystitis, dermatitis, phlebitis, allergies. The best results are achieved with a combination of chemistry and radiation therapy, simultaneously or sequentially.

Radiation therapy uses gamma installations of betta-throns and linear accelerators. The method is designed for inoperable patients of 3-4 degrees. The effect is achieved due to the death of all cells of the primary tumor and metastases. Good results are obtained with small cell cancer. In non-small cell irradiation, a radical program is carried out (with contraindications or refusal of the operation) for patients of degree 1-2 or with a palliative purpose for patients of degree 3. The standard dose for radiation treatment is 60-70 gray. 40% manage to achieve a reduction in the oncological process.

Palliative care - operations to reduce the impact of the tumor on the affected organs to improve the quality of life by effective analgesia, oxygenation (forced oxygenation), treatment of concomitant diseases, support and care.

Alternative methods are used exclusively for pain relief or after irradiation and only by agreement with the doctor. Hope for healers and herbalists with such a serious diagnosis increases the already high risk of death.

Forecast

The prognosis for lung cancer is poor. Without special treatment, 90% of patients die in 2 years. The prognosis determines the degree and histological structure. The table presents data on the survival of cancer patients over 5 years.

Stage lung cancer	Small cell cancer	Non-small cell cancer
1A swelling up to 3cm
1B 3-5cm tumor does not extend to others. sites and lymph nodes
2A tumor 5-7cm without metastasis to the lymph nodes or up to 5cm, legs with metastases.
2B tumor 7cm without metastasis or less, but with damage to neighboring l / nodes
3A tumor over 7cm with damage to the diaphragm, pleura and lymph nodes
3B spreads on the diaphragm, the middle of the chest, the lining of the heart, other lymph nodes
4 the tumor metastasizes to other organs, accumulation of fluid around the lung and heart

Lung cancer is the most common malignancy in the world, as well as the most common cause of death among oncological pathologies. The International Agency for Cancer Matters cites data indicating that one million cases of lung cancer are reported every year on the planet. Moreover, the statistics of this particular disease are deplorable: six out of ten patients die due to this pathology.

To match the world and Russian cancer statistics: 12 percent of Russian patients with cancer pathologies suffer precisely from lung cancer. Among fatal cases due to malignant tumors, lung cancer in Russia accounts for 15 percent of cases. The situation, according to experts, is close to critical.
You also need to identify the fact that lung cancer is more a male pathology. Among all malignant neoplasms in men, lung cancer accounts for one in four cases, while in women only one in twelve.

The reason for this prevalence of lung cancer is in the premises of its occurrence. The main one is. According to studies, the risk of developing lung cancer in men and women smokers is 20 times higher than non-smokers. In the smoke of cigarettes contains more than fifty carcinogens, and one of the effects of nicotine is the suppression of the protective functions of the body. Together, this “effectiveness” of cigarettes leads to the fact that in several countries nine out of ten cases of lung cancer in men are triggered by smoking.

In addition, the environmental situation has a huge impact on the risk of this pathology. The presence of radon, asbestos, dust particles in the air increases the risk of developing this cancer by several times. Already these two factors indicate that almost everyone is at risk for lung cancer.

Lung cancer classification

Modern medicine classifies lung cancer in many ways. The most common among them are classifications at the place of manifestation of the pathology and at the stage of development.

Classification of lung cancer by location

According to this classification, three types of lung cancer are distinguished:

central - the main influence of the oncological process falls on large bronchi. A malignant neoplasm over time overlaps the lumen of the bronchus, which leads to the subsidence of a part of the lung;
peripheral - oncology develops on small peripheral bronchi, and the neoplasm grows outside the lungs. Because of this, peripheral lung cancer is often called pneumonia-like. This type of pathology is characterized by a long absence of external manifestations - up to five years, because of which its diagnosis occurs already in the late stages;
the mixed type is quite rare - in five percent of cases. Its development is characterized by the formation of soft whitish tissue of a malignant nature, which fills the lung lobe, and sometimes the entire organ.

Classification of lung cancer by stage of development

This classification is based on the degree of development of the tumor or tumors. Four stages of the pathology are predominantly distinguished, but there are more detailed schemes in which the development of lung cancer is divided into six stages:

Zero stage. The earliest, in most cases, asymptomatic form of the disease. Due to its small size, carcinoma is poorly visible even on fluorography; there are no lymph node lesions.
First stage. The tumor at this stage of the development of pathology does not exceed three centimeters in size. Pleura and lymph nodes in the first stage are not yet involved in the pathological process. Diagnosis of lung cancer at this stage is considered early and allows you to set favorable treatment forecasts. In this case, only ten percent of patients are diagnosed with the disease at this stage.
Second stage. The diameter of the tumor is in the range of three to five centimeters, metastases are fixed in the bronchial lymph nodes. Obvious symptoms of pathology begin to appear in most patients. A third of cases of lung cancer detection are recorded at this stage.
Stage 3a. The tumor in diameter exceeds five centimeters. The pleura and chest wall are involved in the pathological process. The presence of metastasis is fixed in the bronchial and lymph nodes. The manifestation of symptoms of pathology is obvious, more than half of the cases of pathology are detected at this stage. The frequency of a favorable forecast does not exceed 30 percent.
Stage 3b. A characteristic difference is the involvement of vessels, esophagus, spine and heart in the pathological process. Tumor size is not a clear sign.
The fourth stage. Metastases spread throughout the body. In the vast majority of cases, the prognosis is poor. The chances of remission, not to mention complete recovery, are practically nil.

Symptoms of lung oncology

Having dealt with the main classifications of lung cancer, we turn to the signs of this pathology. The main feature of this disease is its fairly frequent asymptomatic course, especially in the early stages. If this oncology also manifests itself, then the symptoms are predominantly nonspecific and, without proper clinical examination, they can be mistaken for manifestations of other diseases.

Visual symptoms of pathology, if any, are somewhat different in the early and late stages.

Early stages of lung cancer

Since lung cancer is a disease of the respiratory system, it also manifests itself with problems with respiratory function. First of all, attention should be drawn to an apparently causeless dry cough of a chronic nature that does not stop for several weeks. In the complex to them, the disease is often manifested by hoarseness, whistling sounds when breathing, unsystematic pain in the chest. The tumor that has arisen leads to all this, which exerts pressure on the recurrent laryngeal nerve with its volume.
In addition, at the initial stages of development, lung cancer can manifest itself as a slight, but at the same time, a constant increase in body temperature to 37.5 °, which entails chronic fatigue and causeless weight loss.
The absence of vivid specific symptoms of lung cancer in the early stages is due to the fact that there are no painful nerve endings in the human lungs. And the body practically does not react to the development of a neoplasm in this area.

As for the symptoms that can still occur at this stage, even one of them is an occasion to see a doctor and do an unscheduled fluorography. It will allow to exclude the presence of a cancerous tumor in the lungs, or to detect it at the stage when treatment in the vast majority of cases gives a positive effect.

Late stage lung cancer

At the third and fourth stage of development, lung cancer is already showing quite clear symptoms:

Systemic pain in the chest. Despite the fact that there are no painful nerve endings in the lungs, pain during pathology at these stages is formed in the pleura - the membrane of the lungs and walls of the chest cavity. That is, the cancerous tumor has already touched this area. In addition, pain can be given to the shoulder or the outer side of the arm, since pathology affects the nerve fibers.
Coughing in the late stages of lung cancer from systemic dry, but not causing serious discomfort, turns into a painful, characteristic seizures and sputum production. In it, quite often you can observe disseminations of blood or pus. It is blood in sputum that is the most dangerous symptom, and with this manifestation, lung cancer of the third and fourth stages is fixed in most cases.
Quite often, the pathology is manifested by an increase in lymph nodes located in the supraclavicular region. They are one of the first to respond to the serious development of lung cancer, although this manifestation is not characteristic of all cases.
In addition to the three above symptoms, with this pathology in the later stages, signs of early stage lung cancer also appear: low-grade fever, hoarseness, constant feeling of fatigue.

Any of the symptoms of early and late stages, and even more so a complex of two or more manifestations, is a reason for an immediate examination for the presence of malignant neoplasms. Only such an approach will allow the pathology to be detected as quickly as possible, which will significantly increase the chances of its effective treatment.

Clinical studies for suspected lung cancer

In the material on the manifestations of this oncological pathology, one cannot but touch on the topic of clinical examination in cases of suspected lung cancer. It is prescribed at the slightest probability of the presence of malignant neoplasms and is divided into two stages:

The preliminary stage is to confirm the diagnosis. First of all, it includes chest fluorography in two projections, which allows you to determine the presence of a tumor and its location. This research method is the most popular in the diagnosis of lung cancer.
In addition to radiography, the diagnosis of the disease is carried out using bronchoscopy and transthoracic puncture biopsy. The first method allows you to thoroughly examine the bronchi for the presence of neoplasms, and the second is used in cases where the primary diagnosis is impossible, or does not confirm the proposed diagnosis. A puncture biopsy is to examine the contents of a tumor for its malignancy or goodness. After collecting material for research from the tumor, it is sent for cytological analysis.
The diagnostic stage is carried out when the presence of a cancerous tumor in the lungs is confirmed and it is necessary to determine the stage of development of the disease. For these purposes, computed and positron emission tomography are used. In addition to the fact that these studies make it possible to determine the stage of development and type of cancer, they are also used to monitor the tumor during therapy. This allows you to adjust treatment tactics in time, depending on the results, which is extremely important when dealing with such a complex pathology.