Symptoms of lung cancer. Lungs' cancer

The date: 21.10.2019

Lung cancer is recognized by the World Health Organization as the most common oncological pathology in the world. More than 1.2 million people die from lung cancer every year worldwide. At the same time, the frequency of lung cancer in men in different age groups is five to eight times higher than the frequency of this pathology in women.

According to world medical statistics, if oncopathology is diagnosed in early period(first or second stages), death within a year occurs in 10%, if in the third - in 60%, and in the fourth - in 85% of patients.

Given the widespread prevalence of this oncology and the high mortality of patients during the first year, it becomes clear that the leading oncologists around the world are interested in the problem of its early diagnosis.

Why does it occur?

Lung cancer is an oncological pathology with the localization of the tumor process in the lung structures. The peculiarity of this oncopathology is fast growth tumors and early metastasis.

Risk factors that significantly increase a patient's chance of developing lung cancer include:

The presence of several risk factors in a patient increases the likelihood of developing this disease.

First signs

Symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage depend on the clinical and anatomical form of tumor localization, its histological structure, the size and type of growth of the neoplasm, the nature of metastasis, the degree of damage to surrounding tissues and related inflammatory processes in lung structures. How to identify the first signs cancerous tumor in the lungs?

Early symptoms may be absent or nonspecific. On the early stages malignant neoplasms occur early symptoms lung cancer:

The first symptoms of lung cancer are completely non-specific, hiding under the guise of other lung diseases, so it is often not possible to recognize it in the early stages. Lung cancer can manifest itself in the form of frequent pneumonias that are difficult to treat with antibiotics.

In addition to local symptoms, the clinical picture of this pathology is characterized by general symptoms due to the release of many metabolic products by the tumor into the patient's blood.

These substances have a toxic effect on the human body, which is manifested in its intoxication:

causeless weight loss;
decrease in working capacity;
general fatigue.

External examination of patients presenting the above complaints also does not give specific symptoms. Patients may be pallor skin, which often occurs in various diseases. In the presence of pain in the chest, there is a lag of the affected side during breathing. Palpation and percussion chest in the early stages of the disease also does not detect pathological symptoms: only occasionally dullness of percussion sound can be determined over the lungs.

The auscultatory picture depends on the localization of the tumor, and when it grows into the bronchus over the lungs, weakening of vesicular breathing, wheezing (small or large bubbles) can be heard, with the development of peritumoral pneumonia - crepitus.

Thus, in the early stages of lung cancer, neither the survey, nor the examination, nor the physical methods of examination of the patient reveal specific symptoms of oncopathology, therefore, they cannot be the basis for making a preliminary diagnosis of cancer.

Diagnosis of lung cancer

Considering that the first signs of lung cancer are difficult to detect when initial examination patient, in case of suspected cases of respiratory diseases, it is necessary to conduct additional methods diagnostics. Among all methods for diagnosing lung cancer, the most informative are:

The most common and accessible method for diagnosing lung tumors is radiography. With the help of X-ray images, it is possible to identify a tumor, determine its size, the prevalence of the pathological process, the involvement of lymph nodes and mediastinal organs.

More informative methods X-ray diagnostics are computed tomography (CT) and its varieties (multispiral CT, contrast-enhanced CT, positron emission tomography), which can detect the initial stage of lung cancer or its asymptomatic forms.

The determination of independent tumor markers in the patient's blood also indicates that the patient is starting or developing lung cancer. The first signs of this oncopathology are detected using CEA, CYFRA 21.1, NSE, ProGRP, SCCA, CEA tumor markers.

The detection or increase in their number in the blood above a certain level indicates the presence of a malignant neoplasm in the lungs. At the same time, the most informative method is to determine the combination of oncomarkers to determine the probable histological type of the tumor.

Bronchoscopy is indicated for signs of bronchial obstruction of unknown origin, is effective in the central localization of carcinoma. With the help of a flexible fiber-optic bronchoscope, the bronchial mucosa is examined and, if a tumor is detected, material is selected for histological examination.

D To obtain more accurate results, fluorescent bronchoscopy is used, which consists in examining the bronchi under conditions of illumination with a special helium-cadmium laser.

A cytological analysis of sputum detects atypical cells in cases where the cancerous process spreads to the bronchi, growing into their lumen, as a result of which its cells freely enter the bronchial mucus.

A biopsy for histological analysis is obtained by transthoracic (fine-needle or thick-needle) biopsy, which is performed under the control of computed tomography, or during bronchoscopy.

Early detection of lung cancer significantly increases the five-year survival rate of patients. If the tumor is detected at the third stage (regional metastasis), the survival rate of patients in the first year of the disease decreases from 40-60% to 20%, and when it is detected at the fourth stage - up to 10-12%.

To detect lung cancer in the early stages, there must be oncological alertness of both the doctor and the patient, which is especially important if the patient has several risk factors.

Malignant tumors of the respiratory organs are among the most common among oncological diseases, they account for every tenth case. The disease affects the epithelium and disrupts air exchange, it is possible for the affected cells to spread throughout the body. You can cope with the danger only if you start treatment at the first or second stage, so the first signs of lung cancer require close attention.

Morbidity statistics and types of pathology

Malignant neoplasms in the lung are one of the most common oncological diseases. According to statistics, more than 60 thousand cases are detected annually in the Russian Federation. Most often, the disease affects people over the age of 50 years.

Until recently, the problem was considered predominantly “male”, but today, due to the prevalence of smoking among women, female morbidity is increasing. Over the past decade, growth has amounted to 10%. Due to air pollution, lung cancer is often diagnosed in children.

Pathology affects the lungs on the right, left, in the center, in the peripheral sections, the symptoms and treatment depend on this.

There are two options:

peripheral cancer lung symptoms are weakly expressed. neoplasm long time develops without noticeable "by eye" manifestations. Pain begins to appear only at the 4th stage. The prognosis is favorable: patients with pathology live up to 10 years.
The central form of the disease - the lungs are affected in the place where the nerve endings are concentrated, large blood vessels. Patients show signs of hemoptysis early in lung cancer, followed by intense pain syndrome. Life expectancy does not exceed five years.

There is no effective treatment for the disease in the central localization.

The main symptoms of early lung cancer vary depending on whether the problem is diagnosed in an adult or a child, in what form it occurs. For example, cancer of the right lung and cancer of the apex of the lung have excellent clinical presentations.

The sequence of neoplasm formation

Signs of a malignant tumor appear differently depending on the phase of development.

The progression of a neoplasm goes through three stages:

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

At the initial and second stages of the disease, there are no external manifestations. Even when the disease approaches the forms determined on the x-ray, the patient does not feel health disorders. The constant feeling of well-being is quite understandable: in respiratory organ there are no nerve knots, and therefore pain in lung cancer occurs only in advanced phases. The compensatory function is so developed that a quarter of healthy cells are able to provide oxygen to the entire body.

Patients feel normal, they have no desire to see a doctor. Diagnosis of pathology at the initial stage is difficult.

In the second or third phase of tumor development, symptoms of cancer appear at an early stage. Pathology is often disguised as manifestations of colds, pulmonary, chronic diseases.

Initially, the patient notes a developing decrease in vitality. Unmotivated fatigue appears, habitual household or work tasks are difficult, interest in the world around us disappears, nothing pleases.

As the pathology of lung cancer develops, the symptoms and signs are similar to colds, frequent bronchitis and pneumonia. From time to time, the temperature rises to 38 degrees. Therapeutic activities and use folk remedies help to recover for a while, but after a week or two the malaise returns. Feeling unwell, apathy that develops over months makes the patient head to the doctor's office.

Sometimes the disease does not give characteristic signs until the last stages. The progression of the disease is evidenced by extrapulmonary symptoms that occur due to metastasis: disorders digestive system, kidney problems, bone problems, back pain, etc. As problems develop, the patient turns to specialists ( neurologist, osteopath, gastroenterologist) and does not suspect the true cause of the ailment.

The first signs of a malignant tumor

Symptoms of lung cancer in women and men in the initial stages are almost the same.

Problems can start with non-specific symptoms:

fatigue, lethargy;
decrease in working capacity;
loss of appetite;
weight loss.

Most patients do not attach importance to malaise, do not go to the doctor. There are no signs of pathology on examination. There is only a slight pallor of the skin, characteristic of many diseases.

The first signs of lung cancer in men and women require special attention. When diagnosing a malignant tumor in the early stages (first or second), the probability of recovery is 90%, when determining the disease in the third - 40%, in the fourth - only 15%.

Serious problems with the body begin with prolonged malaise, so you should definitely visit a doctor. The oncologist will diagnose and tell you what to do in this situation.

As the disease progresses, a certain list of developing non-specific symptoms is observed: cough, pain chest, hemoptysis, difficulty in breathing. If they are present, it is worth paying special attention to your condition and contacting specialists so that doctors can take timely measures.

Body temperature in malignant tumors

How to identify lung cancer? You need to look at an important sign from which malaise begins - elevated temperature – nonspecific symptom, accompanying many diseases, including the common cold.

The first symptoms of cancer are always associated with an increase in temperature, which can stay at around 37-38 degrees. The patient should be concerned if such indicators persist for a long time, they become the norm.

As a rule, taking antipyretic drugs, alternative treatment give short-term results. The temperature in lung cancer goes astray for 2-3 days, after which the fever, fever can start again. General fatigue, lethargy, apathy are added to the "bouquet".

Cough as a manifestation of the disease

Cough in lung cancer is one of the brightest manifestations that deserves increased attention. It develops as a response of respiratory tract receptors to prolonged irritation from the outside and from the inside. At the beginning of the progression of the neoplasm, coughing bothers the patient infrequently, but gradually becomes paroxysmal, hoarse.

What is a cough for cancer? Varies from the stage of development of pathology.

The following symptoms are distinguished:

Dry cough - almost silent, expectoration is not characteristic of it, there is no relief. He is either stronger or weaker.
Strong cough - occurs in attacks that have no apparent reason, caused by physical activity, cooling, uncomfortable posture. Outwardly similar to convulsions, pulmonary spasms. It cannot be stopped, the attack brings the patient to vomiting, loss of consciousness, fainting.
Short cough - characterized by brevity and frequency. Accompanied by intense contraction of the abdominal muscles.

Peripheral forms of pathology can occur with little or no cough, which makes medical diagnosis difficult.

Cough in lung cancer is an important manifestation of the disease, the answer to the question of what symptoms should be paid attention to. No need to explain it with a cold, chronic diseases. If the problem persists for a month or more, contact your doctor immediately.

Excretion of sputum and blood

Symptoms of lung cancer in men and women are sputum production when coughing. Outwardly, it resembles mucus; at the fourth stage of the disease, it forms up to 1/5 liter per day.

Symptoms include wheezing in the lungs and hemoptysis. The blood may look like separate elements, "streaks" in the sputum, or foam, giving it pink color. This symptom may be a manifestation of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis.

Coughing up blood frightens the patient and forces him to seek help. medical care. To make an accurate diagnosis, the patient is prescribed bronchoscopy. It is extremely difficult to stop hemoptysis, it becomes a companion of a cancer patient until the last days of life.

Sputum in lung cancer in the last stages becomes purulent-mucous. It has a bright crimson color and is similar in consistency to a jelly-like mass.

At severe forms pathology, pulmonary bleeding is possible, when a cancer patient spits out blood with a full mouth, literally choking on it. Such a process is stopped by a doctor; attempts at home treatment are fruitless and dangerous.

What hurts with lung cancer?

What kind of pain do patients experience? Important Features lung cancer in women discomfort in the chest area. They manifest themselves in different intensity depending on the form of the disease. Discomfort becomes especially severe if the intercostal nerves are involved in the pathological process. It is practically intractable and does not leave the patient.

Unpleasant sensations are of the following types:

stabbing;
cutting;
shingles.

They are localized where the malignant tumor is located. For example, if a patient has cancer of the left lung, the discomfort will be concentrated on the left side.

Pain in lung cancer is not always localized in the area of malignant tumor formation. The patient may have pain in the shoulder girdle, this phenomenon is called Pancoast syndrome. Unpleasant sensations spread throughout the body. A cancer patient addresses a problem to a neurologist or osteopath. When it seems that the disease is stopped, it is revealed true reason ailments.

In the pre-mortem period, metastases occur in lung cancer (carcinoma). Affected cells spread throughout the body (pathology metastasizes), and the patient may experience discomfort in the neck, arms, shoulders, digestive organs, intense pain in the back and even in the lower extremities.

Pain in lung cancer is complemented by a change in the patient's appearance. In adults, the face becomes gray, “extinct”, a slight yellowness of the skin and whites of the eyes appears. The face and neck look swollen, in the later stages the swelling extends to the entire upper part body. Significantly enlarged lymph nodes. There are spots on the patient's chest. The formations outwardly resemble pigmented ones, but have a girdle character and hurt when touched.

Symptoms before death are supplemented by complications of the pathology, one of which is pleurisy - the accumulation of inflammatory fluid, the process develops rapidly. Severe shortness of breath occurs with lung cancer ( medical name - dyspnea), which, in the absence of a therapeutic effect, can be fatal.

Video

Video - symptoms and prevention of lung cancer

Features of the diagnosis of the disease

Diagnosis of pathology can be difficult due to the fact that it disguises itself as a cold. If the back hurts with lung cancer, the patient turns to a neurologist or osteopath, but does not attend an oncologist's appointment.

The task of the doctor is to notice non-specific signs, which together, in a certain scenario, form a clear clinical picture. When lung cancer metastases begin, it is easiest to determine the disease, but effective treatment is possible only with an early diagnosis.

The patient is assigned the following studies:

radiograph in several projections;
CT and (or) MRI of the chest area;
sputum examination;
blood test for tumor markers;
blood chemistry;
examination of blood, urine;
biopsy, etc.

The insidiousness of the disease lies in the fact that at the initial stages it manifests itself as meager symptoms. The occurrence of leg edema in lung cancer, coughing, hemoptysis and other eloquent symptoms occurs at stages 3-4, when the likelihood of healing is low. In order not to start the disease, you need to undergo fluorography at least once a year. Regular examination should be especially important for people who smoke and those who work in hazardous industries.

What lung cancer looks like depends on the characteristics of the case, and the diagnosis is the work of a specialist. However, ordinary citizens need to know what symptoms and signs given by the body, you need to pay attention.

Is there a chance to completely cure a dangerous disease? Yes, if you notice its signs in time and start therapy.

Lung cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. About 12 million people develop this type of cancer each year. For most people, lung cancer is caused by smoking. Nine out of 10 cases of lung cancer occur in smokers.

The first signs of lung cancer

Pain when breathing or coughing can be one of the manifestations of lung cancer.

These are:

dyspnea;
cough with phlegm;
sputum streaked with blood;
pain when breathing or coughing;
loss of appetite;
fatigue;
weight loss.

Less common symptoms of lung cancer include: a hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, swelling of the face caused by blockage of a major venous vessel, and swelling in the neck caused by enlargement lymph nodes. Constant pain in the chest, under the ribs on the right side, should also alert the person. Cancer that develops right on top of the lungs is called a Pancoast tumor. Tumor development can lead to very specific symptoms. The first signs of lung cancer, namely Pancoast tumors, are severe pain in the shoulder that radiates down the arm.

If any of the above symptoms occur, you should contact your physician, who should evaluate general state health and patient care. Your doctor will likely send you to the hospital for a chest x-ray to see any abnormal lung abnormalities. Also, the patient is prescribed standard blood tests. Patients suffering from wet cough, sputum samples will be required. Laboratory staff will examine the samples for cancer cells. Upon confirmation of the primary diagnosis, a bronchoscopy is prescribed. This test is done to look at the inside of the airways. During the test, your doctor will insert a narrow, flexible tube (a bronchoscope) down your throat, through your airways. Typically, this test is done on an outpatient basis. local anesthesia. Your doctor will ask you not to eat or drink anything before the test. In bronchoscopy, the patient lies on a couch, taking a sedative to help them relax. Shortly before the test, a nurse will apply an anesthetic to the back of the throat. The doctor then inserts a long, thin, flexible tube into your mouth and down your airway. During the procedure, the doctor may take tissue samples for testing. After a bronchoscopy, you won't be able to eat or drink anything until the local anesthetic wears off. The numbness usually goes away in about an hour.

Computed tomography is usually ordered after a bronchoscopy or biopsy. A CT scan can show areas where cancer is developing. The x-ray will allow the doctor to see any changes in tissue development and to know exactly where these changes are occurring. A percutaneous lung biopsy is also performed based on the CT scan. The doctor inserts a thin needle through the skin and muscles of the chest to take samples of lung tumor cells. The actual biopsy only takes a few minutes, but preparation can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Typically, this test is performed in the radiology department or a special treatment room in an oncology clinic. The doctor will give a local anesthetic injection to the area where the needle will pierce the skin. Once the needle is in the lung, the doctor uses an ultrasound machine to make sure the tip is in the tumor. The doctor will then take a sample of the cells with a syringe. After the biopsy, a nurse will monitor you closely for several hours. You may have to stay in the hospital overnight. There is a small risk that a pneumothorax may occur after a biopsy. If you have difficulty taking a biopsy through the skin, your doctor may do an open lung biopsy under general anesthesia.

Prevention of lung cancer

The most important aspect of lung cancer prevention involves avoiding tobacco products. Nicotine gum, nicotine patches, and a variety of medications can help you quit smoking. Passive smoking also causes lung cancer. People who breathe tobacco smoke are exposed to the same cancer causing elements as smokers (albeit in smaller quantities). It is worth being wary of carcinogens, which include asbestos, radon, arsenic, chromium, nickel, tar and soot. Inhalation of these substances can cause lung cancer in people who have never smoked. Studies show that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables may help reduce the risk of lung cancer, while drinking alcohol may increase the risk of the disease. In addition, people who are physically active have a lower percentage of developing lung cancer. Studies also show that following a vegetarian diet can help prevent lung cancer. People who eat a lot of apples can reduce their risk of developing lung cancer by 50 percent thanks to high level flavonoids, quercetins and naringins in the composition. Understanding the risk factors for disease and minimizing those that can be controlled is the first step towards preventing lung cancer.

Which doctor to contact

Quitting smoking completely can help reduce your risk of developing lung cancer.

If an unexplained prolonged cough with sputum, weakness, progressive weight loss, a change in the nature of cough and / or sputum in a smoker appear, it is necessary to contact a general practitioner at the place of residence, who, after a preliminary examination, will refer the patient to a pulmonologist. If the pulmonologist suspects lung cancer or bronchi - you will need a consultation, and then treatment with an oncologist.

Lungs' cancer occupies a leading place in the structure of oncological morbidity in the population of our country. Men get lung cancer 7-10 times more often than women. The incidence increases in proportion to age. In men aged 60-69, the incidence rate is 60 times higher than in persons aged 30-39.

Based on what type of cells the tumor consists of, lung cancer is divided into two main types: small cell - the most aggressive type of cancer that can quickly spread throughout the body and give tumors in other organs - metastases. This type of lung cancer is rare and usually occurs in people who smoke.

Non-small cell lung cancer occurs in a higher percentage of cases. Its development is rather slow. There are three types of such development: squamous cell carcinoma lung (derived from squamous cells, characterized by slow growth), adenocarcinoma (a tumor that develops from cells that produce mucus) and large cell carcinoma.

Based on where the tumor is located, lung cancer is divided into central and peripheral. Lung cancer of the central type is located in the large bronchi, its characteristic symptoms appear earlier.

Peripheral lung cancer is localized on the periphery of the lungs - in the small bronchi, proceeds for a long time without pronounced symptoms and is usually detected during preventive fluorography.

Causes of lung cancer

The most important factor contributing to the occurrence of lung cancer is smoking. Tobacco smoke contains a large amount of carcinogens. Prolonged exposure to carcinogens during long-term smoking leads to disruption of the structure and function of the bronchial epithelium, metaplasia of the cylindrical epithelium into a stratified squamous one and contributes to the emergence of a malignant tumor. Smoking causes lung cancer in about 90% of cases.

Smokers have a significantly higher death rate from lung cancer than non-smokers. The likelihood of developing cancer increases in proportion to the length of smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked. The nature of the used tobacco products matters. Smokers of cheap unfiltered tobacco cigarettes are most at risk.

Tobacco smoke is dangerous not only for the smoker, but also for others. In a family member of a smoker, lung cancer occurs 1.5-2 times more often than in non-smoking families.

An important factor contributing to the occurrence of lung cancer is the smoky air in large cities. Occupational hazards matter: arsenic, asbestos dust, chromium and nickel. Persons who work with these substances for a long time develop lung cancer more often than the rest of the population.

In the occurrence of a tumor, the condition of the bronchi and lungs plays a significant role. Predispose to lung cancer chronic inflammatory processes in the bronchi and lung parenchyma, cicatricial changes after tuberculosis suffered in childhood, foci of pneumosclerosis.

the most important preventive measure is smoking cessation. Persons who are not able to quit smoking are advised not to finish smoking cigarettes to the end, since in the last third accumulates the largest number carcinogenic substances.

Stages of lung cancer

The stages of lung cancer are described as follows:

Stage IA - "T1a-T1b N0 M0"

The size of the tumor is about 2 cm in diameter, but less than 3 cm in diameter, no metastases were found in the regional lymph nodes, and no metastases were found in other organs.

IB stage - "T2a N0 M0"

The size of the tumor is more than 3 cm in diameter, but not more than 5 cm in diameter, there are no metastases.

IIA stage - "T1a-T2a N1 M0", "T2b N0 M0"

The size of the tumor is similar to that of the previous stages, and metastases are found in the nearest regional lymph nodes. Either metastases are not detected at all, but the dimensions of the formation are more than 5 cm in cross section, but not more than 7 cm in diameter.

Stage IIB - "T2b N1 M0", "T3 N0 M0"

The size of the tumor is 5 cm in diameter, less than 7 cm in diameter and the presence of metastases in the nearest regional lymph nodes. Either there are no metastases in them, but the tumor can be:

More than 7 cm in diameter;
grow into chest wall, tighten the phrenic nerve, pleura and pericardial area;
cause a recession lung tissue and obstructive pneumonia;
Grow to the entire lobe of the lung.

Stage IIIA - "T1a-T3 N2 M0", "T3 N1 M0", "T4 N0-N1 M0"

The tumor can be of any size, metastases are found more distant ipsilateral, peribronchial or intrathoracic lymph nodes. Either these are large, more than 7 cm tumors, with an invasion of deeper tissues and the presence of metastases in the nearest lymph nodes. Or the tumor may invade the mediastinum, heart, great vessels, trachea, recurrent laryngeal nerve, esophagus, or spinal bone base, or may or may not metastasize to nearby lymph nodes.

Stage IIIB - "N3 M0", "T4 N2 M0"

The tumor can be of any size and characteristics, metastasize to distant supraclavicular or intrathoracic lymph nodes. Or grow into the surrounding tissues and organs, affect the ipsilateral, peribronchial or intrathoracic lymph nodes.

IV stage - "M1"

It is characterized by any size and characteristics of tumor ingrowth, involvement of the second lung in the pathological process and the presence of stasis in distant organs and lymph nodes.

Each stage of lung cancer differs in the size of the primary tumor, the depth of its germination into the surrounding tissues, as well as the presence of metastases in the lymph nodes and distant organs. Thus, the stages of cancer are determined by the characteristics of TNM, with which the description of the disease is carried out.

The use of TNM descriptors allows a more precise definition of the quality of the disease, starting from the latent form and passing through stages 0, IA, IB, IIA, IIB, IIIA, IIIB and IV. Such crushing helps to choose a more effective treatment and evaluate the prognosis.

It should be noted that stage IV is practically untreatable, actively progressing, which leads to high mortality rates among patients.

Types of lung cancer

According to the histological structure, lung cancer is divided into 4 main types:

squamous,
glandular (adenocarcinoma),
small cell,
large cell.

The most common and important in practical terms, regarding the histological structure of lung cancer, is the position: the lower the differentiation of the tumor, the more malignant it is. With this in mind, for each histological type of lung cancer, peculiar developmental features are noted.

Thus, squamous cell carcinoma grows relatively slowly and is less prone to early metastasis. Adenocarcinoma also develops relatively slowly, but it has a tendency to early hematogenous dissemination.

Undifferentiated types of cancer, especially small cell, are characterized by rapid development. Characteristic is early extensive lymphogenous and hematogenous metastasis.

In undifferentiated cancer, there is often an advance in the growth of metastases of the primary tumor and its infiltrating spread in the lung is more often observed.

Lung cancer develops from the epithelium of the bronchial mucosa. The tumor occurs with approximately the same frequency in the right and left lung. Cancer that affects the main, lobar or segmental bronchi is called central.

A tumor that occurs in the bronchi of a smaller caliber than segmental ones is called peripheral cancer. The formation of a peripheral tumor from the bronchial epithelium of the distal, most peripheral parts of the airways - subsegmental and smaller bronchi, most often causes its uniform development in the lung parenchyma with the formation of a characteristic round, "spherical" formation.

With further growth, such tumors often move to nearby extrapulmonary anatomical structures: the parietal pleura, chest wall, diaphragm, and others.

A variant of a peripheral tumor in the lung is the so-called "Penkost-type" cancer, characterized by a spherical tumor located in the upper lobe of the lung and passing to the nerves of the brachial plexus, subclavian vessels, the trunk of the sympathetic nerve with Horner's symptom complex (ptosis, miosis and enophthalmos on the side of the lesion) .

The development of central cancer occurs in the bronchi of a larger caliber: segmental, lobar, and, as a rule, is accompanied by a violation of their patency and hypoventilation up to atelectasis of the corresponding section of the lung.

In this case, much depends on the type of tumor growth: predominantly endobronchial or peribronchial, perivasal. In the first case, violation prevails bronchial patency in connection with the overlap, blockage of the airways, and in the second - their compression, a decrease in the lumen up to the complete cessation of air intake.

It is often possible to observe the so-called "centralization" of peripheral lung cancer: then the tumor, which initially develops on the periphery, in the lung parenchyma, as it grows, spreads to the segmental or lobar bronchi, grows into them, disrupting patency.

At the same time, a rounded formation in the atelectatic lobe of the lung or the zone of its hypoventilation is noted radiologically. The transition of blastomatous changes from the lung to the anatomical structures of the mediastinum (pleura, pericardium, large vessels, trachea) is often called the "mediastinal form of lung cancer".

Metastasis of lung cancer in lymphogenous collectors is stable, for a long time follows the regional outflow of lymph from each of the lobes of the lung. The main direction of lymph movement is from the distal lung to its root and further to the mediastinum.

Signs of lung cancer

Health disorders and concomitant lung cancer Clinical signs diseases are highly variable, and their manifestation depends on the stage of tumor development. The most typical is the prolonged absence of any alarming, disturbing sensations during the initial period of the disease, which in fully corresponds to the concept of long-term, long-term tumor growth. It is customary to distinguish three periods (or phases) of the development of lung cancer:

The initial manifestations of lung cancer in stages I-II of the disease, as a rule, refer to the biological or asymptomatic period of tumor development. The complete absence at this time of signs of a health disorder in the vast majority of cases excludes not only the self-treatment of patients for medical assistance but also early recognition of the disease.

The vast majority of patients are referred to medical institutions(or sent for a targeted examination) only with the onset of disturbing disorders. But, as a rule, this corresponds to the second or third phase of the development of lung cancer. Even at this time, the clinical manifestations of lung cancer are very ambiguous, often diverse and uncharacteristic.

This is due to many factors, among which are:

Symptoms of lung cancer

The most common symptom of lung cancer is a cough that persists for a long time despite adequate treatment. You should also pay attention to the following warning signs:

chest pain;
cough with bloody sputum;
wheezing;
dyspnea;
hoarseness;
frequent cases of pneumonia or bronchitis;
swelling of the face or neck;
lack of appetite, weight loss;
fatigue, apathy.

The diverse manifestations and symptoms of lung cancer, including the so-called "latent course of the disease", gave reason to Academician A.I. Savitsky to identify some of the most typical syndromes, which he designated as a kind of "mask" of the disease.

At the very beginning of the disease, lung cancer is most often hidden under the "mask" of loss of vitality, which is characterized by a slight decrease in working capacity, increased fatigue, weakening of interest and apathy for ongoing events.

Subsequently, in most patients, lung cancer manifests itself under the "mask" of various respiratory diseases: "catarrh" of the respiratory tract, repeated episodes of "flu", bronchitis, pneumonia, etc.

Most often, this is already the third period of the development of the disease, and at this time it is possible to establish the phenomena of concomitant paracancrotic pneumonia. At this time, the body temperature periodically rises in patients, occurs, then passes, and a slight malaise may recur.

As a rule, taking antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as the so-called "home methods" quickly eliminate (for a while) these phenomena. Only repeated bouts of malaise, recurring for 1-2 months, make patients think about the need to seek medical help.

Cough - at first rare, dry, and later hacking, constantly disturbing, is often indicated among the leading symptoms of lung cancer, but this is far from always the case. As a rule, it is absent in patients with peripheral lung cancer.

With central cancer, it is a consequence of the involvement in the blastomatous process of the bronchus wall of a large caliber - lobar or main. Hemoptysis in the form of the appearance of streaks of blood in the sputum is also associated with damage to the bronchial wall, destruction of its mucous membrane and blood vessels passing through here.

This symptom usually leads to immediate medical attention. However, this sign, often defined as early, most often indicates a far advanced stage of lung cancer stage III or IV.

Chest pain is a symptom that usually occurs on the affected side. lung tumor. Often it is regarded as "intercostal neuralgia" and under this "mask" they consider the totality of the manifestations of the disease. The nature of pain in lung cancer can be different in intensity.

Most often this is due to the involvement of the parietal pleura in the process, later - the intrathoracic fascia, intercostal nerves, ribs (up to their destruction). In the latter case, the pains take on a particularly painful, permanent character and are almost impossible to eliminate with the help of analgesic drugs.

The location of a peripheral tumor in the apex of the lung, its transition from the pleura to the nearby nerve brachial plexus and the trunk of the sympathetic nerve passing nearby leads to especially painful pain, the appearance of Horner's syndrome, and then lung cancer is characterized as cancer of the "Penkost type".

Shortness of breath, increasing respiratory discomfort, palpitations and chest pain in the form of angina pectoris, sometimes accompanied by disorders heart rate- all this is connected both with the "turning off" of the breath of significant parts of the lung and the reduction of the vascular bed of the pulmonary circulation, and with the possible compression of the anatomical structures of the mediastinum. The appearance of such symptoms most often indicates advanced lung cancer.

Sometimes observed disorders in the form of a violation of the passage of food through the esophagus also indicate a far advanced stage of lung cancer, which then proceeds under the "mask" of a tumor of the esophagus, due to the compression of this organ by metastases in the bifurcation or paraesophageal groups of lymph nodes.

The defeat of lung cancer metastases of paratracheal, tracheobronchial, prevenous groups of lymph nodes can cause compression of the superior vena cava, obstruct blood flow to the right heart, venous blood congestion, swelling of the face, neck and upper half of the body, as well as expansion of the collateral saphenous veins of the chest.

Hematogenous metastases of lung cancer to the brain, liver, kidneys, bones of the skeleton and other organs, as they grow, lead to the emergence and progression of clinical symptoms inherent in the violation of the activity of the corresponding organ. Such disorders suggest terminal stage IV disease in patients with lung cancer.

It should be noted that often these extrapulmonary manifestations lung cancer may be the first reason for the appeal of some patients to doctors of various specialties:

neurologist,
ophthalmologist
orthopedist-traumatologist or other specialists.

Without treatment, the further natural development of the disease always ends in death. It has been established that of the patients who for various reasons did not receive treatment (since the correct diagnosis was established) during the first year, 48% die, 3.4% live up to 3 years, and less than 1% live up to five years.

The life expectancy of untreated patients with undifferentiated lung cancer is four times shorter than in patients with highly differentiated histological tumor types: from 3 to 9 months.

Even at stage I of the disease, most of them live no more than 10 months, at stage II - up to 5 months, and at stage III, this figure is about 2.5 months. Therefore, only timely recognition and treatment of the disease can have a significant beneficial effect on the fate and life of patients with lung cancer.

Diagnosis of lung cancer

Diagnosis of lung cancer until recently is a complex, not completely solved problem.

An analysis of the ratio of patients with a newly diagnosed disease and referred for treatment in their distribution by stages shows that over the past decades there has been a certain stabilization in the overall unfavorable state of affairs. Among patients hospitalized in specialized clinics, stage I lung cancer is found only in 6-16%, stage II - from 20 to 35%, and stage III - in 50-75%.

Over 10% of patients by this time have stage IV of the disease. The long-term absence of clinical manifestations of lung cancer in the early (I-II) stages of its development required the development of a complex diagnostic measures for large contingents of the population in the form of large-scale, systematic dispensary examinations.

The leading place here is occupied by large-frame fluorography of the organs of the chest cavity in two projections. Years of experience gained in this regard suggests that such an approach is not highly effective. With such an organization diagnostic work lung cancer can be detected on average in 2-3 people out of every 10 thousand examined prophylactically.

The way out of the current situation can be considered a targeted examination of selective contingents of the population: persons allocated to the "risk group" regarding the development of lung cancer and all those who apply to polyclinics of the city network with various respiratory diseases. Performing a fluorographic study in this case makes it possible to establish lung cancer in 39-40 people out of 10 thousand examined.

The traditional physical examination, the information content of which can be quite high, and the results largely determine the direction and content of instrumental studies, retains its enduring importance.

Of the instrumental methods of examination, the leading place in the diagnosis of lung cancer and its accompanying changes is occupied by X-ray. It includes doing survey radiographs, tomograms, and when indicated (mainly to determine the relationship of the tumor or its metastases with various anatomical structures) - computed tomography.

Bronchography in the recognition of lung cancer is rarely used - only in diagnostically unclear cases, during differential diagnosis with other, similar changes in the lungs.

Endoscopic bronchological examination allows not only to clarify or clarify the morphological structure of the tumor, but also to clarify the limits of the spread of blastomatous changes in the bronchial tree and regional lymphatic collectors, the nature of tumor growth (endobronchial, peribronchial), and in cases of proposed surgical treatment, it helps to more accurately plan the volume and nature of resection , including the possibility of reconstructive, bronchoplastic interventions.

In the diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer, transthoracic needle biopsy behind an x-ray screen is used. If the totality of the studies performed does not allow us to completely exclude lung cancer, then it is quite justified to perform diagnostic thoracoscopy or thoracotomy as the final stage.

During thoracotomy, an urgent biopsy is performed from the main focus lung lesions and lymph nodes of regional collectors. In diagnostically unclear cases, it is quite legitimate to undertake a resection of a lung area with a suspected tumor, or even a lobectomy with urgent histological examination.

The detection of lung cancer in this case makes the diagnosis reliable, makes it possible to judge the prevalence of tumor changes, the stage of the disease, and, taking this into account, to undertake the most optimal surgical treatment option.

Diagnostic thoracotomy is transferred to the treatment. The implementation of the entire complex of necessary studies allows most patients to make an accurate diagnosis, determine the stage of development of diseases and choose the optimal treatment tactics.

Lung Cancer Treatment

The treatment of patients with lung cancer currently includes all accepted in modern clinical oncology methods: surgical, radiation, chemotherapy and their various combinations, then called the combined method of treatment.

Conservative treatments for lung cancer

Conservative methods of treating lung cancer (radiation and chemotherapy) are largely determined by the creation and use of powerful X-ray units, gammatrons, betatrons and linear accelerators, as well as the synthesis of antitumor drugs.

Efficiency conservative methods treatment is still noticeably inferior to the possibilities of surgical treatment, but its advantage is that it can be performed on a much larger number of patients than surgery.

Surgical treatment of lung cancer

Surgical treatment of lung cancer involves resection in full compliance with the requirements of the basic oncological principles, including the ablasticity of the technique, taking into account the regionality and zoning of tumor metastasis.

It is assumed that the amount of resection performed should include (along with the affected lung or its lobe) also the removal of the regional lymphatic apparatus.

Prognosis for lung cancer

Approximately 60-70% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer have sufficiently pronounced clinical signs of the disease and progression of the growth of atypical tissues even after the applied treatment. Especially if the first attempts at therapy were made only in the last stages of treatment.

An extensive stage of small cell cancer is incurable. Even with a combination of primary therapies, median survival does not extend beyond 7 months. Only 2% of patients can achieve five-year survival.

For patients with limited-stage disease treated with combination chemotherapy plus radiation, survival of up to 17 months is possible, with a five-year survival occurring in 12-15% of patients.

Indicators of poor prognosis are disease recurrence, weight loss greater than 10% of baseline body weight, and poor respiratory and cardiovascular health.

Prevention of lung cancer

To minimize the risk of lung cancer, the following actions are necessary:

The fight against smoking, it is better to completely stop smoking, if this does not work, then it is necessary to drastically reduce the amount of tobacco consumption. If a person smokes more than two packs a day, his chances of getting cancer increase significantly.

The state and industrial enterprises must take measures to prevent dustiness and the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere. It is necessary to install filters (smoke and dust trapping devices), drain sewage, industrial waste only after they have been cleaned (filtered) into rivers and reservoirs. Carry out measures to combat gas pollution in cities, withdraw the main flows of vehicles out of the city. And other activities related to maintaining the norms of substances in the air.

Careful continuous (systematic) research and treatment of patients with chronic forms inflammatory processes in respiratory tract, lungs.

Do not come into contact with harmful substances, and if this happens, you should immediately consult a doctor to remove them from the body.

Diet for lung cancer

People suffering from this disease, often have no appetite, their skin is pale. Also, patients often complain of chills, diarrhea, night sweats, etc. To support the body, we recommend that you follow a specific diet. Consume

grains and products made from whole grains,
seaweed,
legumes (peas, beans, soybeans, lentils),
cabbage (especially broccoli)
oily sea fish.

Dietary proportions should be as follows: 45% of the diet should be cereals and whole grains, 35% vegetables, 10% fruits, 5% legumes. Other types of food should account for 5% of the diet.

For people who, despite illness, still have a lot of strength and energy, do not suffer from diarrhea or signs of hypothermia, we recommend taking

fruits and vegetables (boiled and raw),
fresh juices (6 glasses a day),
seaweed,
bean sprouts,
oily fish,
boiled corn.

In addition, it is recommended to use enemas (they remove toxins). For people with constipation, yellow and red deposits on the tongue, red complexion, we recommend using raw vegetables and wheat germ, laxative herbs and 10 glasses of juice a day. For those with lung cancer advanced stages We recommend that you consume plenty of antioxidants. They are contained in

green tea,
echinacea decoction,
grape seed oil
beet and carrot juices.

If you suffer from insomnia, night sweats, fever, eat

millet,
seaweed,
soy sprouts,
grape,
blackberry,
oysters,
sardines,
duck,
beef,
pork,
eggs,
cow's milk,
yogurt,
beets,
raspberries
bananas,
watermelons.

If you have a purple coating on your tongue, you feel sharp pain, suffer from bleeding, you need to use the following foods:

turmeric,
leek,
ginger,
eggplant,
tea with mint and/or rosemary,
kohlrabi,
green onion,
white pepper,
basil,
garlic,
Cayenne pepper,
chestnuts,
nutmeg.

If you have undergone chemotherapy, then to maintain the body you need

eat algae,
drink infusions of astragalus and dill seeds,
make juice from grain grasses (such as wheat or barley).

Questions and answers on the topic "Lung Cancer"

Question:My grandfather (78 years old) has central cancer of the right lung with metastases in the liver (grade 4). In September, hemoptysis appeared and chest pain appeared. In October, the state of health began to deteriorate and grandfather was taken to the hospital, where he underwent a fluorography, was given oxygen to breathe, put on droppers and injections. He got better and was discharged two weeks later. But after staying at home for 4 days, he got worse again, they put him back in the hospital, but in another one, where they did a biopsy and suggested lung cancer, after which we took my grandfather to the oncology center, where they accurately diagnosed him with central cancer of the right lung. No treatment was prescribed, only painkillers and hemostatic pills. I read that cancer can be cured, but how, please tell me, how can we save the life of our grandfather? And what kind of drug is a blastophage, should it be used?

Answer: Hello. Yes, you are absolutely right: lung cancer is treatable. But unfortunately your grandfather is unlikely to be cured. Lung cancer is one of the most aggressive tumors - and can only be cured in the early stages. Regarding the drug blastophage - at best, it will not have any effect other than psychological.

Question:Hello! My father was operated on for stage 4 lung cancer five years ago. The lung was removed. There was no metastasis. Now again suspicion on an oncology. They took a biopsy, we are waiting for the result. Is there any chance of recovery? Thank you in advance.

Answer: Hello. This question can be answered only after receiving the results of the survey.

Question:Hello. Please tell me, how long does it take from the formation of a cancer cell to the formation of an X-ray positive tumor and are there any drugs that stop the development of a tumor at the earliest stages (at the cell level)? If a person smokes only 3 months a year (6-8 cigarettes per day), how high is the risk of developing cancer at the age of 16-20? Sincerely.

Answer: Hello. Every body produces several hundred cancer cells every day, but the immune system recognizes these cells in time and destroys them. In view of the extreme complexity of the conduct, there are no studies that would establish the interval from the moment of formation of a cancer cell to the formation of an X-ray positive tumor. Theoretically, in the treatment of a tumor at the earliest stages, the same methods of treatment that are used for more "developed" tumors can be effective: radiation, chemotherapy, surgery. The only question is to recognize the presence of a tumor in time. Your second question is also impossible to answer unequivocally: if a person smokes, then his risk of developing lung cancer is much higher than that of a non-smoker, but it is not at all necessary that he will develop lung cancer. And even more so, it is impossible to specify for what period of time the tumor will develop.

Question:Hello! Please help or advise! My father was diagnosed 10 days ago with lung cancer, which they say he has for 10-13 years and which has taken root in spinal cord. The father stopped walking and moving, but he feels everything. They say that the cancer is 4th degree, the operation cannot be done. Are there any chances?

Answer: Hello. Stage 4 lung cancer is very difficult to treat. There is less than a 13% chance that your father will live at least 5 more years with this stage of cancer.

Question:Hello. My father has advanced lung cancer. Can you help him and how? Doctors refused to help? Please help, thanks in advance.

Answer: Hello. Doctors have no right to refuse to help you, even for last stage lung cancer. In this case, the patient is prescribed symptomatic treatment. This means that drugs are prescribed to relieve symptoms: for pain - painkillers, for vomiting - antiemetics, etc.

Question:Hello! I am 19 years old, I smoke about 7-6 years, about 20-15 cigarettes a day. I have bronchial asthma, cough appears only when I smoke, if I do not smoke for one day, there is no cough. Cough dry hacking, sometimes very thick transparent sputum is expectorated, very little. But there is a slight pain in the ribs when coughing and very deep breathing at one point. What is the likelihood of cancer with such circumstances?

Answer: Hello. Your risk of developing lung cancer is the same as that of other smokers. Namely, elevated.

Question:Good afternoon! Tell me, my dad was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, metastases of the spine, a bump is visible on the body - this is a tumor! Can you tell me how long he will live? Doctors refuse to do the operation. Thanks for the answer.

Answer: Hello. It depends on the type of cancer (small cell or non-small cell cancer, as determined by biopsy). The chance that your father will live another 5 years with stage 4 cancer is up to 13% for non-small cell cancer and about 1% for small cell cancer.

Question:Please tell me, with cancer, cough with blood should be every day? Or is a few hours enough?

Answer: Hello. Coughing up blood is not an obligatory symptom of lung cancer (that is, lung cancer can occur for a long time without coughing at all, or with a cough without blood). On the other hand, coughing up blood can be a symptom of many other diseases.

Question:Hello! I am 21 years old, doctors cannot make an accurate diagnosis for me, because of this bad thoughts like lung cancer come into my head. I have been smoking about 10 cigarettes a day for 4 years. They did x-rays 3 times, but the doctor says that I have "some flashes" that I cannot understand. It all started with the fact that at one in the morning I began to expectorate blood (in the form of a scarlet foam), it was expectorated from me for about an hour or an hour and a half, each time it became less and less, and the next day it did not become at all. The lungs listened, they said that there were no wheezing. There were no temps either (before the ambulance arrived, I measured 36.6). I am confused. Please help me! There is no cough and pain in the gut at all (I also gave sputum, the mucus is light, transparent, the blood test is good). Thanks in advance.

Answer: Hello. There are several possible causes of blood in the sputum, and lung cancer is not the only possible explanation for this symptom. Probably, the examination has not yet been completed, since the diagnosis has not yet been clarified. If the examination methods performed did not show results, you will be recommended others (bronchoscopy, computed tomography, etc.)

Question:My sister was diagnosed with lung cancer of the 3rd degree of squamous cell form, what methods of treatment are possible in this case? How fast does it progress at age 40?

Answer: Hello. There are only three main ways to treat cancer: surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy (you can read more about them in the article). Unfortunately, it is not possible to predict how the disease will progress. However, against the background of proper treatment, of course, it is possible to slow down the development of the disease.

Question:Hello! I would like some advice and hope for your help. My boyfriend has recent times began to appear severe pain in right side chest with dry cough. He underwent a fluorography and he told me that they found cancer. Tell me, is it possible to immediately detect this disease and could the doctors announce such a diagnosis without additional examinations?

Answer: Hello. No, on the basis of fluorography it is impossible to make such a diagnosis, but you can only suspect the presence of cancer. To clarify the diagnosis, an additional examination is required: X-ray of the lungs, computed tomography, bronchoscopy, biopsy, etc.

Question:Hi how common is lung cancer in young age(29 years)? For 3 years, sputum accumulates in the throat, which I do not even cough up, but draw out. There is no cough as such. Sometimes white small hard lumps of white color (similar to a grain of rice) are spit out, if crushed, then an unpleasant smell. What could it be? Very scary. 2 times did x-rays, without pathologies. Sputum contains Staphylococcus aureus.

Answer: Hello. Lung cancer can develop in young people. However, the symptoms you describe are more typical of chronic inflammation mucous membrane of the pharynx (chronic pharyngitis). We recommend that you contact an ENT doctor.

How to identify the first 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 already in the early stages.

Spreading

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, and Syria.

Origin of the disease

How exactly the degeneration of ordinary cells occurs in oncological science is not yet known exactly. It has been proven that this happens under the influence of chemicals - carcinogens. The degenerated cells divide non-stop, the tumor grows. When it reaches a sufficiently large size, it grows into adjacent organs (heart, stomach, spine).

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

Causes of the disease

The main and only reason is cell DNA damage under the action of carcinogenic factors, namely:

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

First symptoms (signs)

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

Dry cough;
lack of appetite ;
weakness ;
weight loss ;
during the development of the disease gradually appears cough with phlegm- purulent-mucous, with inclusions of blood;
with tumor enlargement. when it reaches neighboring organs, it appears shortness of breath and chest pain .

Early stage lung cancer symptoms

Symptoms at an early stage appear only with central cancer, when the tumor is located in the large bronchi:

Cough . not passing more than 2 weeks;
fatigue and weakness;
periodic slight rise temperature for no apparent reason.

In peripheral cancer, when the tumor is located in the small bronchi or lung 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.

Complex of symptoms (signs) in lung cancer

Pulmonary - cough, chest pain, hoarseness, shortness of breath;
extrapulmonary - the temperature is slightly above 37 ° C, rapid weight loss, weakness, headache or hypochondrium;
hormonal - high levels of calcium in the blood or low - sodium, skin rash, thickening of the joints of the fingers. The primary 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 borders lung segment or one bronchus. There are no metastases. Symptoms are difficult to discern or none at all.

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

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

Stage 4 - the tumor grows beyond the lung. Metastases are extensive. 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 flat epithelial cells.
Adenocarcinoma - is formed from mucous cells.
large cell- More commonly affects women. Differs in poor prognosis, rapid death.

Diagnostics

Radiography - in direct and lateral projection. Helps to detect blackouts, 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- produced through the skin when the tumor is located in the small bronchi;
cancer markers- specific markers are detected in the blood or tissues. Promising, but this moment not too accurate method;
tumor biopsy - the study of the 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.

You have difficulty breathing accompanied by coughing and constant feeling fatigue? Check out the symptoms of tuberculosis and find out how to get rid of a serious illness!

The differential diagnosis should be based only on a complete comprehensive study, and the biopsy plays a major role in this.

Forecast

AT general forecast unfavorable compared to other cancers. The prognosis is affected by the stage of the tumor and the presence of metastases.
Favorable prognosis in half of the cases it is possible only if the cancer is at an early stage and there are no metastases.

How long do people live with lung cancer?

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

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

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

Upon detection of the first signs of lung cancer, as well as any ongoing lung diseases You should immediately contact a pulmonologist.