Carcinoma Lung

Facts About Lung Cancer Lung cancer is one of the most fatal and grim types of cancer. Primary bronchogenic carcinoma is the leading cause of cancer deaths in both male and female smokers. Approximately 32% of deaths in men and 25% in women due to a carcinoma are attributable lung cancer. In the USA approximately 180,000 people are diagnosed with bronchogenic carcinoma each year. In Canada approximately 23,500 receive a diagnosis of lung cancer each year.

Facts About Lung Cancer All ages but most people are diagnosed between 55 - 65 years. Lung cancer survival rates have not improved significantly since the 1980's. 86% of people diagnosed with bronchogenic carcinoma will die within 5 years of diagnosis. About 80 - 90% of deaths from bronchogenic carcinoma are directly attributable to smoking tobacco products. There are few if any early signs of lung cancer. Many times it has already become well established by the time it is diagnosed. Screening for lung cancer has not been shown to decrease mortality.

Smoking and Lung Cancer Current or former cigarette smokers make up approximately 90% of patients with a bronchogenic carcinoma diagnosis. Men who smoke 20 cigarettes a day increase their risk 10 times compared with non-smokers. Men who smoke two packs a day increase their risk more than 25 times compared with non-smokers. Over 50 years of epidemiological studies have proven that  ”lung cancer is caused by smoking”

an important cause of carcinoma lung in non-smokers. Passive smoking an important cause of carcinoma lung in non-smokers. A passive smoker can be classified as someone living or working with a smoker. Passive smokers have 20–30% increase in risk.  Passive smoking causes about 3,400 deaths from lung cancer each year in the USA.

CLINICAL FEATURES Cough Hemoptysis Dyspnea Wheezing and rhonchi Chest pain Weight loss Fever Anorexia Fatigue Bone pains Dysphagia Superior vena cava obstruction Features of Pneumonias Clubbing

Paraneoplastic syndrome Lambert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome (muscle weakness due to autoantibodies) Hypercalcemia, SIADH Pancoast tumors (Horner’s syndrome-costricted pupil, ptosis, anhidrosis) Damage to the brachial plexus.

Clinical features of metastasis Common sites of metastasis: Brain Bone Adrenal glands Opposite lung Liver Pericardium Kidneys

Investigations CHEST X-RAYS CT SCAN SPIRAL CT BRONCHOSCOPY BIOPSY & HISTOPATHOLOGY

classification Lung cancers are classified according to histological type.  This classification is important for determining management and predicting outcomes of the disease.

Management SURGERY CHEMOTHERAPY RADIOTHERAPY COBINATION PALLIATION

Prognosis Prognosis is generally poor. Of all patients with lung cancer, five years survival rate is 15% after diagnosis in USA. Stage is often advanced at the time of diagnosis. At presentation, 30–40% of cases of NSCLC are stage IV, and 60% of SCLC are stage IV.

A very Important Facts about Lung Cancer It is: “Preventable”