
Lung Cancer
Known Symptoms
- Local symptoms: Persistent cough, hemoptysis (coughing up blood), dyspnea (shortness of breath), chest pain.
- Systemic symptoms: Weight loss, fatigue, fever, clubbing of fingers.
- Metastatic symptoms: Bone pain (bone metastases), neurological deficits (brain metastases), jaundice (liver involvement).
- Paraneoplastic syndromes:
Hypercalcemia, SIADH, Cushing’s syndrome (more common in SCLC). - Red flags: Unexplained weight loss, persistent hoarseness, recurrent pneumonia.
Known Causes
- Etiology:
- Tobacco smoking (primary risk factor). Radon gas exposure, asbestos, air pollution, occupational hazards (e.g., arsenic, chromium).
- Genetic predisposition (e.g., EGFR mutations, family history).
- Pathophysiology:
- Cumulative genetic mutations (e.g., in TP53, KRAS, EGFR) lead to uncontrolled cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis, often via lymphatic or hematogenous spread.
Care
- Prevention:
- Smoking cessation (most effective intervention).
- Radon testing in homes, occupational safety measures.
- LDCT (low-dose CT) screening for high-risk individuals (e.g., >50 years, >20 pack-year smoking history).
- Follow-up:
- Regular imaging (CT/PET) to monitor for recurrence. Management of chronic symptoms and treatment side effects.
- Survivorship care addressing quality of life, psychological health.
- Local symptoms: Persistent cough, hemoptysis (coughing up blood), dyspnea (shortness of breath), chest pain.
- Systemic symptoms: Weight loss, fatigue, fever, clubbing of fingers.
- Metastatic symptoms: Bone pain (bone metastases), neurological deficits (brain metastases), jaundice (liver involvement).
- Paraneoplastic syndromes:
Hypercalcemia, SIADH, Cushing’s syndrome (more common in SCLC). - Red flags: Unexplained weight loss, persistent hoarseness, recurrent pneumonia.
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