Lung cancer – symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Lung cancer ranks first in terms of the number of new cases around the world. Statistics also show that it has the lowest survival estimations among all cancers. This applies to both genders – women and men. The main reason for this is the late stage of diagnosis.

Lung cancer in numbers

According to data presented by the World Health Organization, as part of GLOBOCAN, in 2020 there were 2,206,771 new cancer cases worldwide, of which 1,435,943 were men and 770,828 women. Statistics also show that the mortality rate in lung cancer has reached the value of 1,796,144 cases (1,796,144 – men and 607,465 – women), making this cancer ranked first in terms of mortality. According to WHO forecasts, by 2030 the incidence of respiratory diseases will increase from 2.21 to 2.90 million new cases annually.

Lung cancer and smoking

The main cause of a high number of lung cancer cases is cigarette smoking. When tobacco is burned it release smoke which contains many hazardous substances, many of which contribute to the development of cancer. Cigarettes are a threat not only to the smoker himself, but also to those around him. Tobacco smoke enters the lungs in two ways – in the case of active smokers it is inhaled directly from the cigarette, in the case of passive smokers, the smoke is inhaled with the air.

If you are looking for support in quitting smoking, see the article: How to quit smoking? 5 tips that will help you

The most common symptoms of lung cancer

The most common symptoms of lung cancer include:

• Unrelenting and increasing cough;
• Chest pain (which does not go away or gets worse with breathing / laughing);
• Whistling sound when breathing;
• Dyspnea;
• Coughing up mucus with blood;
• Hoarseness;
• Weight loss;
• Frequent lung infections.

A large proportion of patients also report fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and difficulty swallowing. It is worth bearing in mind, that in the initial stages, lung cancer usually does not give any symptoms. Therefore, it is important to perform regular screening tests that give you the chance to detect abnormalities in the body at an early stage.

Lung cancer diagnosis – what tests should be performed?

Prevention is a very important issue in the case of cancer. Lung cancer prevention includes not only quitting smoking and avoiding carcinogens, but also regular screening. For more information, see the article: Cancer Prevention. What tests to perform? Moreover, according to the recommendations of specialists from John Hopkins Medicine, people who smoked (or smokes) should perform a full lung health scan every year for a minimum of 15 years after quitting the addiction.

If you have noticed any bothering symptoms, you should contact a doctor who will recommend you all tests needed. Some above-mentioned symptoms are also characteristic of other conditions, so their presence does not necessarily mean that it is lung cancer. The tests that the doctor will refer you to will dispel any doubts in this matter. They include:

• Basic examination. Initial diagnostics includes blood counts along with biochemical tests including the following serum concentrations: creatinine, urea, sodium, potassium, calcium, bilirubin, calcium, transaminazam, alkaline phosphorase, LDH, glucose. A general urinalysis is also required.
• Imaging tests. One of the basic tests performed when lung cancer is suspected is an X-ray imaging test, which consists of x-rays of the chest. In this case, the visibility of some neoplastic changes may be limited, so it will be necessary to use computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well.
• Other methods. A biopsy is also performed – it consists in taking a specimen from the lungs and then subjecting it to histological analysis in the laboratory. The diagnosis of lung cancer can be extended to other methods, such as sputum or pleural effusion cytology, as well as bronchoscopy and thoracotomy.

Lung cancer stages

A very important issue in the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer is to determine its type, which determines which treatment method will be selected. The classification includes 5 stages of advancement and is carried out by a doctor.

Stage 0 – in situ cancer

It is an early stage of development and is called in situ, which means that the cancer has not spread to other tissues and has not spread beyond the lungs.

Stage 1 – low-grade cancer

The first stage cancer is usually a small tumor that has not spread to the lymph nodes and is therefore operable. Additionally, stage I, is divided by the size of tumor into two groups:

• I A – for tumors 3 cm or smaller;
• I B – for tumors of 3-4 cm, but not larger than 4 cm.

Stage 2 – intermediate-grade caner

A second-stage tumor is a tumor that in some cases can be removed with surgery. In other cases, therapy may be necessary. Stage II is divided into two groups according to the size of the tumor:

• I A – tumors larger than 4 cm, but not larger than 5 cm, which have not spread to the lymph nodes;
• I B – tumors 5 cm or smaller but have spread to the lymph nodes.

Stage 3 – high-grade cancer

The third stage is divided into stages 3A, 3B and 3C. This classification is related to the size of the tumor and the location of the metastases. Surgical removal of such tumors may be very difficult or completely impossible – then it will be necessary to resort to therapy. Importantly, stage 3 lung cancer occurs when the cancer cells have not spread to distant organs.

Stage 4 – high-grade cancer (very advanced)

Stage four means that the lung cancer has spread to the second lung and has spread to more than one of its area, or it has spread to the fluid surrounding the lung or heart, and to the distant tissues. Cancer cells spread through the bloodstream, allowing the cancer to spread anywhere in the body. Most often, metastases occur in the brain, bones, liver and adrenal glands. Therapy is necessary in almost all cases.

Modern methods of lung cancer treatment

Lung cancer is asymptomatic in the early stages of development, but symptoms appear later and gradually get worse. You should see a doctor when the first of them appear. Different treatment methods are used depending on the stage of development of the tumor. The most effective is surgery – surgical removal of the tumor, which is most effective. The chance of qualifying for the procedure concerns a small group of patients, which is why radiotherapy and chemotherapy are most often used, which are often associated with each other. Another method is brachytherapy, which is precise and at the same time does not burden the patient's body as much as in the case of radiotherapy.

Many people ask themselves: Is lung cancer curable? There is no clear answer to this question. However, one thing is sure, the earlier the stage in which a cancer is detected, the greater the chances of a curing it.