Symptoms of lung cancer, first signs, treatment, prevention. Symptoms of lung cancer in the early stages Lung cancer signs and treatment

More than 2 million people die from lung cancer every year. In many countries, the disease occupies a leading place among other oncological pathologies.

The severity of the disease is determined by the fact that by the time the diagnosis is made, sometimes there is already a deep growth of the tumor, often with metastases. In addition, the lung is a common organ where cancer metastases from other locations settle.

Causes and forms of lung cancer

The occurrence of a tumor is often associated with external factors, such as smoking, radiation, and chemical carcinogens. Chronic diseases of the bronchopulmonary system, which are the background for the development of neoplasms, are directly involved in carcinogenesis.

Cigarette smoking often leads to the formation of lung carcinomas. A mixture of tobacco smoke consists of 4 thousand substances with carcinogenic properties (benzopyrene, soot), which act on the bronchial epithelium and lead to its death. The longer and more a person smokes tobacco, the higher the risk of malignant cell degeneration.

To completely remove cigarette carcinogens from the body, you must quit smoking for at least 15 years.

Radon, which is found in soil, building materials, and mines, has a strong oncogenic property. Exposure to asbestos also increases the risk of lung cancer.

The mechanism of tumor development can be described as follows. First, as a result of exposure to external unfavorable factors against the background of some chronic bronchopulmonary disease, atrophy of the bronchial mucosa occurs and replacement of glandular tissue with fibrous tissue occurs. Areas of dysplasia appear, which degenerate into cancer.

Central lung cancer affects the large bronchi. Anatomically, the following forms of cancer are distinguished:

Central cancer of the right lung is diagnosed more often, which is due to the peculiarity of the anatomical structure. The left main bronchus departs from the trachea at an angle, and the right one is its continuation. That is why carcinogenic reagents are directly delivered in greater quantities to the right lung. The more common histological variant is squamous cell carcinoma.

Classification by stages:

Characteristics of symptoms of the disease

Considering the fact that there are no pain receptors in the lung tissue, pain, as a sign of lung cancer, appears when invasion of the pleura or nerve trunks occurs. For a long period of time, the disease is asymptomatic; a person is able to live for several years without noticing any changes in the body.

The manifestation of symptoms in central cancer is due to the presence of a tumor node, which, when growing, irritates the bronchial mucosa, reduces its patency, which leads to impaired ventilation of part of the lung.

This is how areas of atelectasis (collapse of lung tissue) are formed, which can result in displacement of the mediastinal organs.

With the endobronchial form of central lung cancer, the first manifestation will be a dry cough, due to the fact that the tumor grows inside the bronchus and causes irritation of the mucous membrane. In the nodular form, when the tumor grows outward, bronchial drainage is preserved for a long time, so symptoms appear in later stages of the disease. It is more difficult to make a diagnosis of a branched form of cancer, due to the fact that the lumen of the bronchial tube is free, and one can only navigate by indirect signs.

In stage 4 lung cancer, additional manifestations of distant metastases are present. With metastatic damage to the brain, headaches, vomiting, blurred vision and speech, paralysis or paresis may occur. Metastases in the skeletal system are manifested by pain and pathological fractures, in the liver - pain in the right hypochondrium.

Differential diagnosis of central lung cancer is carried out with diseases such as pneumonia, pleurisy, polycystic lung disease, abscess, tuberculosis.

Diagnostic stages

Despite all the possibilities of advanced medicine, today in a third of those who apply, lung cancer is detected at a late stage, when there is no longer a chance to perform radical surgery. Therefore, the patient’s life directly depends on correct and timely diagnosis.

Central lung cancer is detected either when visiting a clinic with pulmonary symptoms or on a screening fluorogram.

First, a general examination of the patient is carried out, peripheral lymph nodes are palpated, especially supraclavicular lymph nodes, which are most often affected by metastases. Auscultation of the lungs is performed to identify areas with impaired ventilation.

If necessary, additional methods can be used to clarify the diagnosis - thoracoscopy, angiography, MRI and others.

General principles of treatment

Radical surgery is the standard treatment for lung cancer. Its volume directly determines how long patients live after surgery. An oncology clinic or dispensary must have the most modern X-ray and endoscopic equipment and have highly specialized specialists on its staff. Thoracic operations are high-tech, and anesthesia is provided in the form of multicomponent endotracheal anesthesia with single-pulmonary ventilation.

Surgical treatment is not performed when there is invasion into neighboring organs and the formation is technically unremovable. Also, intervention is not advisable if there are already metastases in the bones, brain or spinal cord or other organs.

The best option is a radical operation, when a lobe of the lung or the entire organ is removed along with the lymph nodes and surrounding tissue.

For non-operative forms of cancer, radiation therapy is used in the form of one or two courses. Radiation is also given to those patients who refuse surgery. Chemotherapy for the treatment of lung cancer is ineffective and is used for advanced forms as palliative care.

It is impossible to predict exactly how long people with this disease will live. The prognosis depends on the stage, histological form of cancer, the presence or absence of metastases, and concomitant pathology. On average, the five-year survival rate for stage 1 cancer is more than 80%, and for stage 4 cancer it is no more than 5%.

The question of how long people diagnosed with lung cancer live can be considered incorrect. After all, each case is individual, and it is impossible to predict how the immune system and the body’s own defense mechanisms will react in the fight against the tumor. Therefore, every patient has the right to hope for the most favorable outcome.

Indisputable and long-proven measures to prevent the development of lung cancer are quitting smoking and a healthy lifestyle. And an annual screening fluorographic examination will allow you to identify the disease at the earliest stages.

Lung cancer is the most common malignant tumor in the world, as well as the most common cause of death among cancer pathologies. The International Agency on Cancer cites data according to which one million cases of lung cancer are registered every year on the planet. At the same time, the statistics for this particular disease are deplorable: six out of ten patients die due to this pathology.

World and Russian statistics on cancer diseases match: 12 percent of Russian patients with cancer pathologies suffer from lung cancer. Among deaths due to malignant tumors, lung cancer in Russia accounts for 15 percent of cases. The situation, according to experts, is close to critical.
It is also necessary to highlight the fact that lung cancer is more of a male pathology. Among all malignant neoplasms in men, lung cancer accounts for every fourth case, while in women only every twelfth.

The reason for such prevalence of lung cancer lies in the prerequisites for its occurrence. The main one is. According to studies, the risk of developing lung cancer in men and women who smoke is 20 times higher than in non-smokers. Cigarette smoke contains more than fifty carcinogenic substances, and one of the effects of nicotine is the suppression of the body's protective functions. Taken together, this “effectiveness” of cigarettes leads to the fact that in a number of countries, nine out of ten cases of lung cancer in men are caused by smoking.

In addition, the environmental situation has a huge impact on the risk of this pathology. The presence of radon, asbestos, and dust particles in the air increases the risk of developing this cancer significantly. These two factors alone indicate that almost everyone is at risk of lung cancer.

Classifications of lung cancer

Modern medicine classifies lung cancer according to many parameters. The most common among them are classifications according to the place of manifestation of the pathology and the stage of development.

Classification of lung cancer by site of manifestation

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

• central - the main influence of the oncological process occurs on the large bronchi. The malignant neoplasm eventually blocks the lumen of the bronchus, which leads to the collapse of part of the lung;
• peripheral - oncology develops in small peripheral bronchi, and the tumor 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, which is why its diagnosis occurs in the later 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 a lobe of the lung, 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. There are mainly four stages of pathology, but there are also 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, the carcinoma is poorly visible even on fluorography; there is no damage to the lymph nodes.
• First stage. The tumor at this stage of pathological development does not exceed three centimeters in size. The pleura and lymph nodes at the first stage are not yet involved in the pathological process. Diagnosis of lung cancer at this stage is considered early and allows for favorable treatment prognosis. However, the disease is diagnosed at this stage in only ten percent of patients.
• Second stage. The diameter of the tumor is in the range of three to five centimeters, metastases are recorded in the bronchial lymph nodes. Obvious symptoms of pathology begin to appear in most patients. A third of lung cancer cases are detected at this stage.
• Stage 3a. The tumor exceeds five centimeters in diameter. The pleura and chest wall are involved in the pathological process. The presence of metastases is recorded in the bronchial and lymph nodes. The manifestation of symptoms of pathology is obvious; more than half of cases of pathology are detected at this stage. The rate of favorable prognosis does not exceed 30 percent.
• Stage 3b. A characteristic difference is the involvement of blood vessels, esophagus, spine and heart in the pathological process. The size of the tumor is not a clear sign.
• Fourth stage. Metastases spread throughout the body. In the vast majority of cases, the prognosis is unfavorable. The chances of remission, not to mention full recovery, are practically zero.

Symptoms of lung cancer

Having dealt with the main classifications of lung cancer, let’s move on 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 does manifest 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 present, are somewhat different in the early and late stages.

Manifestations of lung cancer in early stages

Since lung cancer is a disease of the respiratory system, it manifests itself as problems with respiratory function. First of all, attention should be drawn to a seemingly causeless dry cough of a chronic nature that does not stop for several weeks. In combination with them, the disease often manifests itself as hoarseness of voice, whistling sounds when breathing, and non-systemic pain in the chest. All this is caused by a tumor that has arisen, which, with its volume, puts pressure on the recurrent laryngeal nerve.
In addition, in the initial stages of development, lung cancer can manifest itself as a slight but constant increase in body temperature up to 37.5°, which entails chronic fatigue and causeless weight loss.
The absence of clear specific symptoms of lung cancer in the early stages is due to the fact that there are no pain nerve endings in the human lungs. And the body practically does not react to the development of neoplasms in this area.

As for the symptoms that may still appear at this stage, even one of them is a reason to consult a doctor and have an unscheduled fluorography. It will make it possible to exclude the presence of a cancerous tumor in the lungs, or to detect it at a stage when treatment in the vast majority of cases has a positive effect.

Manifestations of lung cancer in late stages

At the third and fourth stages of development, lung cancer already manifests itself with quite clear symptoms:

• Systemic chest pain. Despite the fact that there are no pain nerve endings in the lungs, pain in pathology at these stages is formed in the pleura - the lining of the lungs and the walls of the chest cavity. That is, the cancerous tumor has already touched this area. In addition, the pain may radiate to the shoulder or the outer side of the arm, as the pathology affects the nerve fibers.
• Cough in the later stages of lung cancer changes from a systemic, dry cough that does not cause serious discomfort to a painful one, characterized by attacks and sputum production. Quite often you can see inclusions of blood or pus in it. It is blood in the sputum that is the most dangerous symptom, and with this manifestation, lung cancer of the third and fourth stages is recorded in most cases.
• Quite often, the pathology is manifested by enlarged lymph nodes located in the supraclavicular region. They are among the first to respond to the serious development of lung cancer, although this manifestation is not typical for 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, and a constant feeling of fatigue.

Any of the symptoms of the early and late stages, and even more so a complex of two or more manifestations, is a reason for immediate examination for the presence of malignant neoplasms. Only this approach will allow 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 about the manifestations of this oncological pathology, it is impossible not to touch upon the topic of clinical examination for 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 fluorography of the chest 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, 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 tumors, and the second is used in cases where primary diagnosis is impossible or does not confirm the expected diagnosis. A puncture biopsy consists of examining the contents of the tumor to determine whether it is malignant or benign. After taking 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 tomography and positron emission tomography are used. In addition to helping determine the stage and type of cancer, these tests are also used to monitor the tumor during therapy. This allows timely adjustment of treatment tactics depending on the results, which is extremely important when dealing with such a complex pathology.

Unfortunately, today cancer is not uncommon. Quite a large number of people suffer from malignant tumors. One of the most common is considered to be. At an early stage, the symptoms already become pronounced, although many people do not pay due attention to them. And in vain, because the neoplasm can be defeated. Well, we should talk about this in more detail.

Important information

What is the first thing you should say about lung cancer at an early stage? Many people do not perceive the symptoms of this disease as something scary or unusual. In general, oncological lesions of this organ are very rarely detected randomly (for example, after fluorography). Only 1/5 of all cases were detected through this procedure.

It is also worth remembering that many symptoms are, in fact, similar to other pathologies not related to oncology. They are often similar to those that accompany a person with tuberculosis, during acute infectious diseases (or chronic), bronchial asthma, pneumonia or even pleurisy. So if a person feels strange, then complaints alone will not be enough. But how to detect lung cancer at an early stage? CT (computed tomography) is the way out. The procedure is expensive, but it is better than any x-ray. Sometimes a tumor can be detected by examining fluid from the pleural cavity. But today CT is the safest and most effective method.

Cough is a reason to worry

Indeed, often it can be a kind of “beacon”. A cough always accompanies early stage lung cancer. The symptoms are different, but this is the main one. So, the cough is usually frequent and very debilitating. Accompanied by sputum of an unpleasant yellow-green color. If a person is in the cold for a long time or engaged in physical labor, then the amount of these waste secretions increases.

There may also be blood discharge when coughing. They usually have a scarlet or pink tint. Clots are often visible in the sputum. Even when a person coughs, he feels severe pain both in the throat and in the chest area. This is often a symptom of a strong virus, the flu, for example, but if there are other suspicions and signs, you should not ignore it. In addition to coughing, there is shortness of breath and wheezing. These are all also symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage.

Pain and other sensations

Oncology can also be accompanied by excessively rapid fatigue, apathy and eternal fatigue. Significant weight loss is often observed. These lungs at an early stage are a warning sign. It is necessary to listen to this if a person, with the same diet, suddenly began to lose weight.

General malaise is also one of the signs of the disease. An increase in body temperature that is not associated with viral diseases is also often observed. Often a person’s voice also changes. Hoarseness appears - this is due to the fact that the tumor affects the nerve that controls the larynx. By the way, if we talk about how to recognize lung cancer at an early stage, then, perhaps, the main answer here is the following - listen specifically to breathing. It is important. In the initial stages, a person has to make a lot of effort to breathe fully. This is due to the fact that the tumor is an obstacle to the usual air flow.

Weakness

Pain in the shoulder area can often occur. If the neoplasm has affected the nerve endings, then sensations will appear from the affected organ. Swallowing function is also impaired - also a common sign by which lung cancer can be recognized at an early stage. Symptoms of this kind appear when the tumor enters the walls of the esophagus. In this case, the airways are simply blocked.

And of course, muscle weakness. Many people take it for granted - maybe it was due to heavy work or there was an excessive force load. But often this is an alarming signal that you need to pay attention to.

What can cause cancer?

This topic also needs to be noted with attention when talking about how to recognize lung cancer at an early stage, the photo of which is provided above. In fact, there can be a lot of reasons. The most common is, of course, smoking. But it is not only because of this that a malignant neoplasm appears. There are two factors - constant (unchangeable) and modifiable (that is, changing). And a person cannot change the first of these in any way. Firstly, this is the person’s age - more than 50 years. Secondly, genetic factors (conditioning). Thirdly, environmental pollution. Severe disruptions in the functioning of the endocrine system (especially in women) and the presence of chronic lung diseases (pneumonia, etc.) can also affect this. Due to these ailments, the lung tissue is deformed and scars appear on it. This often becomes an excellent breeding ground for cancer.

As for smoking... Hundreds of scientists are developing this topic, they talk about it in all the media, and all over the world they are trying to solve this problem so that as few people as possible buy cigarettes and other tobacco products. We can talk about the dangers of smoking and tobacco addiction forever. But the fact remains that in the process of absorbing tobacco smoke, harmful carcinogenic substances enter the lungs, settling on the living soft pink epithelium, which over time becomes a dead, scorched, blue-black surface.

Oncology degrees

So, how to detect lung cancer at an early stage at home? The answer is simple - no way. If even fluorography reveals a malignant neoplasm in only 20% of cases, then what can we say about “folk” methods.

The first stage of oncology is a small tumor, the size of which is a maximum of three centimeters. Or is it a completely “screening out” from the main tumor of another organ. It is extremely difficult to detect it - only through computed tomography, which was mentioned at the very beginning.

The second stage is when the tumor is more than 3 centimeters and blocks the bronchus. The neoplasm can grow into the pleura. At the third stage, the tumor spreads to nearby structures. Atelectasis of the entire lung appears. And the fourth stage is when the tumor grows into nearby organs. This is the heart, large vessels. Metastatic pleurisy may occur. Unfortunately, the forecasts in this case are disappointing.

Is it really possible to cure?

This question arises for all people who have discovered cancer. All of them, regardless of the stage, hope for a positive outcome. Well, everything is possible in this life! There are people who claim that they managed to overcome cancer, and it has receded. Of course, the prognosis will be much more positive if the stage is early. This form is amenable to chemotherapy and radiation treatment. And in general, the percentage of recoveries in such cases is very high. But unfortunately, if you catch it in the final stages, it may not be easy for the patient. In these cases, the survival rate is 10%.

Prevention

So, when talking about how to recognize lung cancer at an early stage in adults, it is impossible not to touch on the topic of prevention. It is very important because it helps fight the disease. Well, the most important thing is to quit smoking, follow a special diet and, of course, quit your job if it requires you to be present in a place where there is a high content of harmful substances.

It is worth giving up spicy, fatty and fried foods and instead eating high-fiber foods, lean fish and always white meat. It would be a good idea to include dried fruits, nuts, cereals and natural, real chocolate in your diet.

Medical measures are extremely important. These are routine examinations and treatment. If the patient is at particular risk, he is sometimes prescribed special drugs that replace tobacco. Due to this, the need for smoking is reduced to a minimum, but the dose of harmful nicotine is replaced by medical nicotine. Gradually, step by step, following all the recommendations and not neglecting your health, you can get better and start enjoying life again.

A group of malignant tumors of the lung tissue that arise from the epithelial cells lining the bronchi or lungs. These tumors are characterized by rapid growth and early metastasis (formation of distant tumor nodes).

Men suffer from lung cancer 7-10 times more often than women, and the incidence increases in proportion to age. In men aged 60-69 years, the incidence rate is 60 times higher than in men aged 30-39 years.

In Russia, lung cancer is the most common of all cancers. However, we are still far from first place. Today, the highest mortality rates among men from lung cancer are recorded in Scotland, the Netherlands, the UK and Luxembourg. In terms of mortality among women, Hong Kong confidently leads, and Scotland ranks second. But it is best to live in El Salvador, Syria, Guatemala or Brazil - lung cancer is practically not found there.

The true mechanisms of transformation of normal cells into cancer cells are not yet fully understood. However, thanks to many scientific studies, it became clear that there is a whole group of chemicals that have the ability to cause malignant degeneration of cells. Such substances are called carcinogens.

Risk factors for lung cancer

• The main cause of lung cancer is inhalation of carcinogens. About 90% of all cases of disease are associated with smoking, or more precisely with the action of carcinogens contained in tobacco smoke. Smoking two or more packs of cigarettes per day increases the risk of lung cancer by 25 to 125 times.
• Air pollution is directly related to lung cancer. For example, in industrial areas with mining and processing industries, people get sick 3-4 times more often than in remote villages.
• Contact with asbestos, radon, arsenic, nickel, cadmium, chromium, chlormethyl ether.
• Radioactive exposure.
• Old lung diseases: pneumonia, tuberculosis.

Types of lung cancer

Depending on the place of appearance ( anatomical classification) there is central cancer (the tumor is located in the center of the lung, where large bronchi and vessels are located) and peripheral (the tumor grows on the periphery of the lung). There are also mixed lung cancer and mediastinal, or apical - this is a variant of peripheral cancer when the tumor is located at the apex of the lung. Cancer of the right lung or left lung is possible, or both lungs are involved in the process.

When performing histological analysis, it is established tumor cell type.

Most often (up to 95% of cases), the tumor develops from epithelial cells that line the large and medium-sized bronchi (therefore, they sometimes talk about bronchial cancer or bronchogenic carcinoma).

Less commonly, a tumor develops from pleural cells (then called mesothelioma).

There are also morphological (depending on the type of tumor cells) classification of lung cancer:

small cell carcinoma:

• oat cell
• intermediate
• combined;

non-small cell cancer:

• squamous
• adenocarcinoma
• large cell.

Morphological classification is important for determining the degree of malignancy of the tumor. Small cell lung cancer grows faster (almost three times) and metastasizes more actively.

Symptoms of lung cancer

Signs of lung cancer are not always present; they are quite difficult to identify and distinguish from symptoms of other diseases of the respiratory system.

The appearance of such signs as a constant cough, streaks of blood in the sputum, shortness of breath, chest pain, weight loss, accompanied by lethargy, increased fatigue, apathy - requires a visit to the doctor and an examination. You need to pay attention to an increase in temperature, even a slight one. In case of bronchitis or pneumonia, an X-ray of the lungs is required, including in order to clarify whether there is a tumor.

In 15% of cases, in the initial stages, a lung tumor does not manifest itself in any way, and it can only be detected with a carefully performed x-ray or MRI.

Experienced smokers, be careful! A persistent cough, blood-streaked sputum, chest pain and recurring pneumonia and bronchitis are not just unpleasant symptoms. It is possible that a serious disease process is developing in your lungs: lung cancer.

Unfortunately, most patients turn to doctors in the late stages of lung cancer. Therefore, it is very important to regularly undergo preventive examinations, do fluorography and consult a pulmonologist for any symptoms of pulmonary diseases that last more than 3 days.

Spread and metastasis of lung cancer

Cancer cells quickly divide and the tumor begins to increase in size. If left untreated, it grows into neighboring organs - the heart, large vessels, esophagus, spine, causing their damage.

Together with blood and lymph, cancer cells spread throughout the body, forming new tumors (metastases). Most often, metastases develop in the lymph nodes, other lung, liver, brain, bones, adrenal glands and kidneys.

Stages of lung cancer

The stage of lung cancer is determined depending on the size of the tumor, its morphology, the degree of growth into surrounding tissues, as well as the presence of lymph node involvement or distant metastases.

Tumor stages determine lung cancer treatments, their expected effectiveness, and prognosis.

First stage

The tumor is small (up to 3 cm on x-ray), without invasion of the pleura, without damage to regional lymph nodes and distant metastases

Second stage

The tumor size is from 3 to 6 cm, or any other tumor size sufficient to cause blockage (obstruction) of the bronchus, or compaction of lung tissue within one lobe of the lung. Regional lymph nodes on one side may be involved in the process.

Third stage

The size is more than 6 cm, or the tumor extends to the chest wall, affects the area of ​​division (bifurcation) of the main bronchi, affects the diaphragm, distant lymph nodes are affected on the affected side or in the bifurcation area, or there are signs of distant metastases.

Fourth stage

The size of the tumor is not important, it has spread to neighboring organs (heart, esophagus, stomach), many lymph nodes are affected both on the affected side and on the opposite side, and there are multiple distant metastases.

Diagnosis of lung cancer

A well-known way to detect lung cancer is to take an X-ray of the lungs. However, this method is not always effective in the early stages of the disease, when the tumor is very small, or if its location is atypical.

Diagnosis may require a computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the lung.

The most modern diagnostic methods are used in the early stages of the process to clarify the diagnosis and include:

• Multilayer spiral computed tomography, which can detect tumors up to 1-3 mm
• Positron emission tomography in combination with computed tomography (PET-CT), the minimum size of the detected tumor is 5-7 mm.

To clarify the diagnosis, endoscopic bronchography is used, which allows you to find out the location of the tumor and its size, as well as do a biopsy - take a piece of tissue for cytological examination.

Lung cancer treatment

An oncologist treats patients with lung cancer. He chooses a method depending on the stage of cancer, the type of malignant cells, characteristics of the tumor, the presence of metastases, etc.

To do this, it is necessary to establish not only the type of cancer, its morphology, but also in some cases (for non-small cell lung cancer) to identify the genetic characteristics of the tumor (the presence or absence of certain gene mutations: for example, mutations of the EGFR gene).

Usually, to rid a patient of a disease, three methods are combined at once: surgical, medicinal and radiation.

Surgical treatment of lung cancer involves removing the tumor along with part of the lung; if necessary, damaged lymph nodes are also removed at the same time.

Chemotherapy involves the intravenous administration of drugs that suppress the growth of tumor cells. Radiation therapy is the effect of radiation on a tumor.

For some forms of cancer (small cell cancer), only chemotherapy is used. Chemotherapy may be given before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor. In this case, chemotherapy has a toxic effect on the entire body, causing side effects.

That is why scientific research is constantly being carried out and new treatment methods are emerging, including hormonal therapy and targeted immunotherapy. Targeted drugs are easier to tolerate by patients, since they only affect tumor cells.

The success of treatment depends on the patient’s age and the correct selection of therapy. If treatment is started early in the disease, 45-60% of patients have a chance of making a full recovery. If the disease is discovered too late, when metastases have already appeared, there are no guarantees.