Home Smell from the mouth How to identify the first symptoms (signs) of lung cancer in men and women at an early stage. Signs and symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage How lung cancer manifests itself symptoms

Smell from the mouth

How to identify the first symptoms (signs) of lung cancer in men and women at an early stage. Signs and symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage How lung cancer manifests itself symptoms

Lung cancer is a disease accompanied by the development of a malignant tumor formation in the lungs.

Lung cancer, the symptoms of which may be absent for a long time, most often occurs due to smoking, and its detection, precisely due to absent symptoms, without preventive methods of studying the area in question, often occurs already at serious stages of the process.

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.

Causes and risk factors

Smoking is considered the main and reliably proven factor in the development of lung cancer. Behind last years A huge amount of research has been carried out in this direction. Now there is no doubt - about 88% of cases are somehow related to smoking.

What's the secret? The carcinogenic effect of smoking, which is caused by the presence of polycyclic aromatic bicarbonates (products of tobacco combustion) in the smoke. In addition, tobacco smoke contains additional carcinogens, which include nicotine derivatives - for example, nitrosamines.

It is impossible not to mention passive smoking. American scientists have found that people who frequently come into contact with a smoker develop cancer 32% more often. A direct relationship has also been identified between the occurrence of lung cancer and an increase in the number of cigarettes smoked per day (2 packs = 25-fold increase in risk) and the period of smoking. An inverse relationship is observed with the quality of tobacco.

However, not only tobacco smoke is carcinogenic. Today it has been proven that substances such as arsenic, beryllium, asbestos, hydrocarbons, chromium and nickel can also provoke the growth of tumor cells. Don't forget about radiation. These are the most common carcinogens, but in fact there are many more of them... And many of them have not yet been fully studied.

Thus, we can identify 4 most important factors:

Tobacco smoking;
Genetic predisposition;
Environmental factors and working conditions;
Chronic lung diseases.

Types of cancer

Small cell lung cancer– occurs in 20% of cases, has an aggressive course. It is characterized by rapid progression and metastasis, early dissemination (spread) of metastases to the mediastinal lymph nodes.
Not small cell carcinoma lung:
- Adenocarcinoma – observed in 50% of cases, spreads from the glandular tissue of the bronchi, more often in the initial stages it occurs without symptoms. Characterized by copious sputum production.
- Squamous cell carcinoma occurs in 20-30% of cases, is formed from flat cells in the epithelium of small and large bronchi, in the root of the lungs, grows and metastasizes slowly.
- Undifferentiated cancer characterized by high atypicality cancer cells.
Other types of cancer:
- bronchial carcinoids are formed from hormone-producing cells (asymptomatic, difficult to diagnose, slow growing).
- tumors from surrounding tissues (vessels, smooth muscles, immune cells and etc.).
- metastases from tumors localized in other organs.

Small cell lung cancer

Received this name because of the shape of the cells, it is also called neuroendocrine lung cancer. Refers to the most aggressive forms lung cancer. It occurs mainly in smoking men over 40 years of age. The detection rate of this disease is no more than 25% of all histological types of cancer.

Biological characteristics of small cell cancer:

small sizes (only twice as large as a lymphocyte - blood cells);
malignancy;
rapid growth, active doubling of volume within 30 days, for comparison in other forms of cancer - more than 100 days;
sensitivity of cancer cell receptors to chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

There are several types of small cell cancer:

oat cell;
intermediate;
combined.

Small cell neoplasms are capable of producing some hormones (ACTH, antidiuretic, somatotropic).

The clinical symptoms of small cell cancer are not fundamentally different from other forms of lung cancer, with the exception that the pathogenesis develops rapidly, and the manifestations visible to the researcher are scarce.

Non-small cell lung cancer

This group of oncological diseases differs from small cell forms in histological features. Clinically manifested:

increased fatigue;
pulmonary syndrome(shortness of breath, cough, hemoptysis);
progressive loss of body weight.

Includes about 80% of all patients with malignant diseases.

There are three main histological forms of non-small cell cancer:

squamous;
large cell;
adenocarcinoma.

The disease is characterized by a subclinical course of pathogenesis up to stages 2-3. For example, about 30% of patients recognize their diagnosis at stage 3, about 40% at stage 4.

The disease is characterized by a rapid course of the last stages. Within five years, only 15-17% of patients remain alive.

The first signs of lung cancer

It is most important to identify the disease in the early stages of tumor development, and most often the course at the onset of the disease is asymptomatic or asymptomatic.

Symptoms of lung cancer are nonspecific and can appear in many other diseases, but a set of symptoms may be a reason to consult a doctor for further examination for the presence of cancer.

Depending on the spread of the lesion, shape, location and stage, the first signs of lung cancer may be different. However, there are a number of common symptoms, the presence of which can be suspected:

Cough. Dry, frequent, persistent, paroxysmal, later wet with copious secretion of thick sputum (mucous or purulent).
Dyspnea. It appears with little physical exertion: the larger the tumor damage, the more pronounced shortness of breath. Possible shortness of breath due to bronchial obstruction, accompanied by noisy wheezing.
Hemoptysis. It is rare and is manifested by the appearance of streaks or blood clots in the sputum, copious discharge of foamy or jelly-like sputum is possible, and in rare cases, profuse bleeding, which can lead to the rapid death of the patient.
Pain. The pain can be different: from periodic to acute paroxysmal and constant. The pain can radiate to the shoulder, neck, or stomach. The pain may also intensify with deep breathing and coughing. The pain is not relieved by taking non-narcotic painkillers. The intensity of pain can be used to judge the extent of damage to the lungs and other organs. chest.
Temperature increase. Common symptom cancer diseases. The symptom may be temporary (as with ARVI) or recurring (sometimes patients do not pay attention to this symptom).
General symptoms. Decreased appetite, weight loss, fatigue, disorders nervous system and others.

Symptoms of lung cancer

Clinical manifestations of lung cancer significantly depend on the location of the primary tumor node.

Central lung cancer

The tumor, originating from the mucous membrane of a large bronchus, manifests itself quite early. As it grows, it irritates the bronchial mucosa, causing disruption of bronchial patency and ventilation of a segment, lobe or the entire lung in the form of hypoventilation and atelectasis. Subsequently, growing through the nerve trunks and pleura, the tumor causes pain and disruption of the innervation of the corresponding nerve (phrenic, recurrent or vagus), as well as a picture of the involvement of the pleura in the tumor process. Associated metastasis leads to the appearance secondary symptoms from the affected organs and systems.

When the tumor grows into the bronchus, a cough appears, first dry, then with light sputum, sometimes mixed with blood. Hypoventilation of the lung segment occurs and then atelectasis. The sputum becomes purulent, which is accompanied by an increase in body temperature, general malaise, and shortness of breath. Cancer pneumonia is added, which is relatively easily cured, but often recurs. Cancerous pneumonia may be accompanied by cancerous pleurisy, accompanied by pain.

If the tumor grows recurrent nerve, hoarseness occurs due to paralysis of the vocal muscles. Damage to the phrenic nerve causes diaphragmatic paralysis. Pericardial growth is manifested by pain in the heart area.

Damage to the superior vena cava by a tumor or its metastases causes disruption of the outflow of blood and lymph from the upper half of the body, upper limbs, head and neck. The patient's face becomes puffy, with a cyanotic tint, and the veins in the neck, arms, and chest swell.

Peripheral lung cancer

In the initial stage, a peripheral tumor is asymptomatic due to the absence of pain endings in the lung tissue. Subsequently, the tumor node grows, the bronchi, pleura and neighboring organs grow; subsequently, decay and bleeding may occur in the center of the tumor.

In case of lung cancer, the following local symptoms may be observed: cough, bleeding with sputum, hoarseness, syndrome of tumor compression of the superior vena cava and mediastinal displacement, symptoms of tumor invasion of neighboring organs. A particularly characteristic clinical picture, due to localization, is apical lung cancer with Pancoast syndrome.

With cancerous pleurisy, lung compression syndrome is associated with exudate.

Common symptoms include general deterioration body conditions characteristic of the development of malignant tumors: intoxication, shortness of breath, weakness, weight loss, increased body temperature. For lung cancer, calcium metabolism disorders, dermatitis and finger deformities like “drumsticks” are also added.

In advanced stages, symptoms of metastatic damage to vital organs are added, as well as processes of tumor and lung tissue disintegration, bronchial obstruction, atelectasis, and severe pulmonary hemorrhage that join tumor growth.

Stages

When faced with lung cancer, many people do not know how to determine the stage of the disease. In oncology, when assessing the nature and extent of lung cancer, 4 stages of disease development are classified.

However, the duration of any stage is purely individual for each patient. This depends on the size of the tumor and the presence of metastases, as well as on the speed of the disease.

Highlight:

Stage 1 – tumor less than 3 cm. Located within the boundaries of a segment of the lung or one bronchus. There are no metastases. Symptoms are subtle or non-existent.
2 – tumor up to 6 cm, located within the boundaries of a segment of the lung or bronchus. Single metastases in individual lymph nodes. Symptoms are more pronounced: hemoptysis, pain, weakness, and loss of appetite appear.
3 – the tumor exceeds 6 cm, penetrates into other parts of the lung or neighboring bronchi. Numerous metastases. Symptoms include blood in mucopurulent sputum and shortness of breath.

How does the last stage 4 of lung cancer manifest?

At this stage of lung cancer, the tumor metastasizes to other organs. Five-year survival rate is 1% for small cell cancer and 2 to 15% for non-small cell cancer

The patient develops the following symptoms:

Constant pain when breathing, which is difficult to live with.
Chest pain
Decreased body weight and appetite
Blood clots slowly, and fractures (bone metastases) often occur.
The appearance of severe coughing attacks, often with sputum, sometimes with blood and pus.
Appearance severe pain in the chest, which directly indicates damage to nearby tissues, since there are no pain receptors in the lungs themselves.
Symptoms of cancer also include heavy breathing and shortness of breath, if the cervical lymph nodes are affected, difficulty speaking is felt.

Small cell lung cancer, which develops rapidly and affects the body in a short time, is characterized by only 2 stages of development:

limited stage, when cancer cells are localized in one lung and tissues located in close proximity.
extensive or extensive stage, when the tumor metastasizes to areas outside the lung and to distant organs.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of lung cancer is carried out in several stages. If detected on fluorography or x-ray of the chest organs pathological changes(focus, compaction, decrease in lung volume, strengthening of the pulmonary pattern, etc.) photographs are prescribed in additional projections with multiple magnification in different phases respiratory cycle.

The patient undergoes a computed tomography scan to determine the presence of metastases and the condition of the lymph nodes.

Bronchoscopy is an effective method of examination, but not for all types of tumors. So, it is absolutely useless for detecting peripheral cancer.

If necessary, an endoscopic bronchological examination is performed, and in case of peripheral cancer, the diagnosis can be clarified using a transthoracic (through the chest) targeted biopsy under X-ray control.

If all of these methods do not make it possible to make a diagnosis, then they resort to thoracotomy (opening the chest). In this case, an urgent histological examination is carried out, and, if necessary, the focus of tumor growth is immediately removed. Thus, the diagnostic procedure immediately turns into surgical treatment of the disease.

Treatment

Standard treatments for lung cancer are:

surgical removal tumors;
chemotherapy - intravenous administration chemicals, suppressing the growth of tumor cells.
Radiation therapy – exposure of altered cells to hard types of radiation.

Apply the above as a single method or in combination. Some forms, such as small cell carcinoma, cannot be treated surgical methods, but are sensitive to chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy

The tactics of mass chemotherapy are determined by the form of the disease and the stage of carcinogenesis.

Common cytostatics – pharmacological preparations that have the ability to suppress the growth of cancer cells: Cisplatin, Etoposide, Cyclophosphamide, Doxorubicin, Vincristine, Nimustine, Paclitaxel, Carboplatin, Irinotecan, Gemcitabine. These drugs are used before surgery to reduce the size of the tumor. In some cases, the method has a good therapeutic effect. Side effects after the use of cytostatics are reversible.

Relatively recently introduced into practical use:

hormonal treatments;
immunological (cytokinetic) methods of combating lung cancer.

Their limited use is due to the complexity of hormonal correction separate forms cancer. Immunotherapy and targeted therapy do not effectively fight cancer in an immune-compromised body.

Consequences of chemotherapy

Side effects may include nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, and hair loss. Also, all the troubles are accompanied by ulcers on the oral mucosa, and there is a feeling of increased fatigue. Further, the hematopoietic function of the bone marrow suffers, leukocytes and hemoglobin decrease, and various types of infections can occur.

There are drugs that minimize side effect, they can prevent everything, including nausea. Before using chemotherapy drugs, it is better to cool the hair roots; this effect has a more than beneficial effect on them. After the medications are discontinued, the hair grows back and grows at an even faster rate than before.

How adjuvant therapy in the treatment of lung cancer ASD, which is a drug of natural origin. But before using this drug, consulting a specialist will not be superfluous, because, like any other drug, it has its contraindications. ASD 2 itself is used orally for the treatment of lung cancer, but local use is also possible.

Promising treatments for lung cancer

Radiation therapy

Visually controlled radiation therapy to a cancer cell, or technology (IGRT). It consists of irradiating a damaged cell, instantly correcting it after sufficient exposure, and moving the load to an adjacent area of damaged tissue.
Contact radiation exposure, or brachytherapy technology. It consists of delivering special substances to tumor tissues that enhance the targeted effect on damaged cells.
Smart knife technology. The principle is the perfectly precise impact of the cyber-knife on a cluster of damaged cells.

Modern chemotherapy

Marking of cancer cells (PDT technology) with substances that increase sensitivity to external laser action and eliminate damage to healthy tissue.

The main disadvantage of new technologies is that they affect the developed pathogenesis, but do not prevent pathological mutations.

Operation

Surgical treatment for lung cancer may be the last “straw” that a drowning person can grab at. But it is possible to remove the tumor through surgery, usually at stages 1 and 2 for NSCLC.

Also, surgery on the lungs for cancer is performed depending on the prognosis factors of the disease, which take into account the stage of the disease, in accordance with the International TNM classification, depending on the cellular structure of the tumor and the degree of its malignant degeneration, taking into account concomitant pathology and indicators of life-supporting organs and systems. A natural question may arise about whether lung cancer can be treated with surgery? It can be answered unequivocally, yes, only in combination with other methods that complement each other.

It is worth noting the fact that if, given the anatomical location of the tumor, it can be completely removed, then the operation is not always possible due to the patient’s health condition. With SCLC, surgery is performed less frequently than with NSCLC, since small cell tumors are rarely located in one area.

The choice of surgical intervention depends on the size and location of the tumor.

There are several types of surgical intervention; surgeons open the chest and perform:

wedge resection of the lung (part of one lobe of the lung is removed);
lobectomy - removal of a lobe of the lung;
pneumonectomy - complete removal of the lung;
lymphadenectomy - removal of lymph nodes.

Removing a lung for cancer is a rather complex and sensitive procedure and the consequences can be the most unpredictable. When performing surgery, it is necessary to use general anesthesia, hospitalize the patient and follow-up for several weeks or even months. After surgery, breathing problems, shortness of breath, and weakness may occur. Risks of surgery include complications such as bleeding, infection, and complications from general anesthesia.

If a person has a respectable form of non-small cell lung cancer, usually stage 1 to 3, then the surgeon's scalpel is the treatment of choice. It is only important to take into account all contraindications for surgical intervention.

Prevention

Prevention of lung cancer includes the following recommendations:

Quitting bad habits, primarily smoking;
Compliance healthy image life: proper nutrition rich in vitamins and daily physical activity, walks in the fresh air.
Treat bronchial diseases in a timely manner so that they do not become chronic.
Ventilation of the premises, daily wet cleaning of the apartment;
It is necessary to reduce contact with harmful chemicals and heavy metals to a minimum. During work, be sure to use protective equipment: respirators, masks.

If you experience the symptoms described in this article, be sure to see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

Forecast for life

In the case of untreated lung cancer, 87% of patients die within 2 years of diagnosis.

When using the surgical method, a 30% survival rate of patients within 5 years can be achieved. Early detection of a tumor increases the chances of cure: at stage T1N0M0 it reaches 80%. Combined surgical, radiation and drug treatment allows you to increase 5-year survival rate by another 40%.

The presence of metastases significantly worsens the prognosis.

Lung cancer is recognized by the World Health Organization as the most common cancer in the world. Every year, more than 1.2 million people die from lung cancer worldwide. Moreover, the incidence of lung cancer in men in different age groups five to eight times higher than the frequency of this pathology in women.

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

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

Why does it happen?

Lung cancer – oncological pathology with localization tumor process in pulmonary structures. A feature of this oncopathology is rapid tumor growth and early metastasis.

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

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

First signs

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

Symptoms at the onset of the disease may be absent or nonspecific. At the initial stages of a malignant neoplasm, the following early symptoms of lung cancer occur:

The first symptoms of lung cancer are completely nonspecific, 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 pneumonia, which is difficult to respond to antibiotic therapy.

In addition to local symptoms, for clinical picture This pathology is characterized by general symptoms caused by the tumor releasing many metabolic products into the patient’s blood.

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

causeless weight loss;
decreased ability to work;
general fatigue.

External examination of patients presenting with the above complaints also does not provide specific symptoms. In patients, one can detect pallor of the skin, which is often found in various diseases. If there is pain in the chest, there is a lag on the affected side when breathing. Palpation and percussion of the chest in the early stages of the disease also does not reveal pathological symptoms: Only occasionally can dullness of percussion sound be detected over the lungs.

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

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

Diagnosis of lung cancer

Considering that the first signs of lung cancer are difficult to identify during the initial examination of the patient, in case of suspicious cases of respiratory diseases, additional diagnostic methods are necessary. Among all the methods for diagnosing lung cancer, the most informative are:

The most common and accessible method for diagnosing pulmonary tumors is radiography. By using X-ray images it is possible to identify a tumor, determine its size, extent pathological process, involvement of lymph nodes and mediastinal organs.

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

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

The detection or increase in their amount in the blood above a certain level indicates the presence of a malignant neoplasm in the lungs. In this case, the most informative technique is to determine a combination of tumor markers to establish the probable histological type of tumor.

Bronchoscopic examination is indicated for signs of bronchial obstruction of unknown origin, and is effective for central localization of carcinoma. Using 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 of examining the bronchi under conditions of illumination with a special helium-cadmium laser.

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

A biopsy specimen for histological analysis is obtained by transthoracic (fine-needle or thick-needle) biopsy, which is carried out 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 if it is detected at the fourth stage - 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.

Lung tumor – combines several categories of neoplasms, namely malignant and benign. It is noteworthy that the former affect people over forty, and the latter are formed in persons under 35 years of age. The reasons for the formation of tumors in both cases are almost similar. Most often, the provocateurs are long-term addiction to bad habits, work at hazardous production and irradiation of the body.

The danger of the disease lies in the fact that with any variant of the course of a lung tumor, symptoms, which are already nonspecific in nature, may be absent for a long time. The main clinical manifestations are considered to be malaise and weakness, fever, mild chest discomfort and a persistent wet cough. In general, symptoms of lung diseases are nonspecific.

Differentiate between malignant and benign neoplasms lungs is possible only with the help of instrumental diagnostic procedures, the first place among which is biopsy.

Treatment of all types of neoplasms is carried out only by surgery, which consists not only of excision of the tumor, but also partial or complete removal of the affected lung.

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, allocates separate values for tumors. Thus, formations of a malignant course have a code according to ICD-10 - C34, and a benign one - D36.

Etiology

The formation of malignant neoplasms is triggered by improper cell differentiation and pathological tissue proliferation, which occurs at the gene level. However, among the most likely predisposing factors for the appearance of a lung tumor are:

long-term addiction to nicotine - this includes both active and passive smoking. Such a source provokes the development of the disease in men in 90%, and in women in 70% of cases. It is noteworthy that passive smokers have a higher likelihood of developing a malignant tumor;
specific working conditions, namely constant human contact with chemicals and toxic substances. The most dangerous for humans are asbestos and nickel, arsenic and chromium, as well as radioactive dust;
constant exposure of the human body to radon radiation;
diagnosed benign lung tumors - this is due to the fact that some of them, in the absence of therapy, are prone to transformation into cancerous formations;
the occurrence of inflammatory or suppurative processes directly in the lungs or bronchi;
scarring of lung tissue;
genetic predisposition.

It is the above reasons that contribute to DNA damage and activation of cellular oncogenes.

The triggers for the formation of benign lung tumors are currently not reliably known, but experts in the field of pulmonology suggest that this may be affected by:

burdened heredity;
gene mutations;
pathological effects of various viruses;
influence of chemical and radioactive substances;
addiction to bad habits, in particular smoking;
contact with contaminated soil, water or air, with the most commonly considered provocateurs being formaldehyde, ultraviolet radiation, benzanthracene, radioactive isotopes and vinyl chloride;
decreased local or general immunity;
permanent influence stressful situations;
poor nutrition;
drug addiction.

From all of the above it follows that absolutely every person is predisposed to the appearance of a tumor.

Classification

Experts in the field of pulmonology usually distinguish several types of malignant neoplasms, but the leading place among them is occupied by cancer, diagnosed in every 3 people who have a tumor in this area. In addition, the following are also considered malignant:

– originates in the lymphatic system. Often such a formation is a consequence of metastasis of a similar tumor from the breast or colon, kidneys or rectum, stomach or cervix, testicle or thyroid gland, skeletal system or prostate gland, as well as the skin;
– includes intraalveolar or peribronchial connective tissue. Most often localized in the left lung and typical for males;
malignant carcinoid - has the ability to form distant metastases, for example, to the liver or kidneys, brain or skin, adrenal glands or pancreas;
squamous cell carcinoma;
Pleural mesothelioma - histologically consists of epithelial tissues that line the pleural cavity. Very often it is diffuse in nature;
oat cell carcinoma – characterized by the presence of metastases in the initial stages of disease progression.

In addition, malignant lung tumor It happens:

highly differentiated;
moderately differentiated;
poorly differentiated;
undifferentiated.

There are several stages of progression:

initial - the tumor does not exceed 3 centimeters in size, affects only one segment of this organ and does not metastasize;
moderate - the formation reaches 6 centimeters and gives single metastases to regional lymph nodes;
severe – the neoplasm is larger than 6 centimeters in volume and spreads to the adjacent lobe of the lung and bronchi;
complicated – cancer gives extensive and distant metastases.

Classification of benign tumors according to the type of tissue that makes up them:

epithelial;
neuroectodermal;
mesodermal;
germinal.

Benign lung tumors also include:

An adenoma is a glandular formation, which in turn is divided into carcinoids and carcinomas, cylindromas and adenoids. It should be noted that in 10% of cases malignancy is observed;
hamartoma or – embryonic tumor, which includes components of germinal tissue. These are the most commonly diagnosed formations in this category;
or fibroepithelioma - consists of connective tissue stroma and has a large number of papillary processes;
– does not exceed 3 centimeters in volume, but can grow up to gigantic size. Occurs in 7% of cases and is not prone to malignancy;
– this is a fatty tumor, which is extremely rarely localized in the lungs;
leiomyoma is a rare formation that includes smooth muscle fibers and looks like a polyp;
a group of vascular tumors - this includes hemangioendothelioma, hemangiopericytoma, capillary and cavernous, as well as. The first 2 types are conditionally benign lung tumors, since they are prone to degeneration into cancer;
or dermoid - acts as an embryonic tumor or cyst. The frequency of occurrence reaches 2%;
neuroma or schwannoma;
chemodectoma;
tuberculoma;
fibrous histiocytoma;
plasmacytoma.

The last 3 varieties are considered the rarest.

In addition, benign lung tumors, based on their focus, are divided into:

central;
peripheral;
segmental;
home;
share

Classification according to the direction of growth implies the existence of the following formations:

endobronchial - in such a situation the tumor grows deep into the bronchial lumen;
extrabronchtal - growth is directed outward;
intramural - germination occurs into the thickness of the lung.

In addition, neoplasms of any course can be single or multiple.

Symptoms

The severity of clinical signs is influenced by several factors:

localization of education;
tumor size;
nature of germination;
presence of concomitant diseases;
number and prevalence of metastases.

Signs of malignant formations are nonspecific and are represented by:

causeless weakness;
rapid fatigue;
periodic increase in temperature;
general malaise;
symptoms, and;
hemoptysis;
persistent cough with mucus or purulent sputum;
shortness of breath that occurs at rest;
pain of varying severity in the chest area;
a sharp decrease in body weight.

A benign lung tumor has the following symptoms:

cough with the release of a small amount of sputum mixed with blood or pus;
whistling and noise during breathing;
decreased performance;
dyspnea;
steady increase temperature indicators;
attacks of suffocation;
hot flashes to the upper half of the body;
defecation disorder;
mental disorders.

It is noteworthy that most often there are no signs of benign formations at all, which is why the disease is a diagnostic surprise. As for malignant tumors of the lung, symptoms are expressed only if the tumor grows to gigantic sizes, extensive metastases and occurs in late stages.

Diagnostics

A correct diagnosis can only be made through a wide range of instrumental examinations, which mandatory preceded by manipulations performed directly by the attending physician. These include:

studying the medical history - to identify ailments leading to the occurrence of a particular tumor;
familiarization with a person’s life history - to clarify working conditions, living conditions and lifestyle;
listening to the patient using a phonendoscope;
a detailed survey of the patient - to draw up a complete clinical picture of the course of the disease and determine the severity of symptoms.

Among the instrumental procedures it is worth highlighting:

plain radiography of the left and right lungs;
CT and MRI;
pleural puncture;
endoscopic biopsy;
bronchoscopy;
thoracoscopy;
Ultrasound and PET;
angiopulmonography.

In addition, the following laboratory tests are required:

general and biochemical blood test;
tumor marker tests;
microscopic examination of sputum;
histological analysis biopsy;
cytological study of effusion.

Treatment

Absolutely all malignant and benign lung tumors (regardless of the likelihood of malignancy) undergo surgical excision.

One of the following operations can be chosen as a medical intervention:

circular, marginal or fenestrated resection;
lobectomy;
bilobectomy;
pneumonectomy;
husking;
complete or partial excision of the lung;
thoracotomy.

Surgical treatment can be performed open or endoscopically. To reduce the risk of complications or remission after the intervention, patients undergo chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

Possible complications

If you ignore the symptoms and do not treat the disease, then there is high risk development of complications, namely:

pulmonary hemorrhage;
abscess pneumonia;
compression syndrome of blood vessels and internal organs;
malignancy.

Prevention and prognosis

Reducing the likelihood of the formation of any neoplasms in the organ is facilitated by:

complete abandonment of all bad habits;
proper and balanced nutrition;
avoiding physical and emotional stress;
use of personal protective equipment when working with toxic and noxious substances;
avoiding exposure of the body to radiation;
timely diagnosis and treatment of pathologies that can lead to the formation of tumors.

Also, do not forget about regular preventive examination V medical institution, which must be completed at least 2 times a year.

Lung cancer has a high mortality rate. Therefore, it is very important to identify the symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage.

Diagnosing lung cancer in the early stages is difficult, since the risk group is all men and women who smoke. Many of them have a history of respiratory diseases - pneumonia, pleurisy, not to mention the more serious ones - tuberculosis.

In contact with

Statistics help: men are more susceptible to lung cancer than women, but according to new data, since 2014, the number of cases in women has increased by 10%. Age also plays a role. The disease most often develops in people after 50 years.

Causes

In addition to smoking, there is also several predisposing factors:

tuberculosis infection in the past and existing scars on the lung tissue;
chronic bronchial diseases;
occupational diseases, when due to duty a person is forced to deal with hazardous substances, which accumulate in lung tissue and are carcinogenic;
genetic predisposition.

Note! In addition to the above factors, there are cases of illness, the causes of which cannot be determined.

Any cancer is a combination of several causes, and it’s not just about smoking. Otherwise, how can we explain the occurrence of lung cancer in children?

Scientific research into causes cancer have been carried out in many areas:

Each science is right in its own way and has arguments. But you can’t think in separate categories if you have oncology. There was definitely a malfunction in the body, the immune system failed vitality decreased even more. The infection was just waiting for its time to come; it began to multiply and further poison the body.

Causes lung cancer:

decreased immunity with age;
additional intoxication from tobacco smoke;
concomitant diseases that reduce human activity;
pulmonary diseases;
contact with hazardous chemicals - arsenic, cadmium, lead, asbestos, radon, radioactive metals.

Tobacco smoke contains carcinogenic substances that can cause mutations in genes. The main thing is that these substances must act on the body for a long time for changes to occur.

Concomitant diseases can be any pathology that reduces the body's resistance.

In women, these are hormonal disorders of the female reproductive system, diseases of the thyroid gland. In men – and diseases of the adrenal glands.

Both may have digestive disorders that affect the absorption of nutrients. Failure to comply with the diet and quality of nutrition reduces the chances of excellent health.

Past lung pathologies resulting in the structure of the tissue is modified, are also one of the factors that aggravate the human situation.

Living in areas where there are chemical industry enterprises poses a threat to the health of not individuals, but the entire population. It has been established that constant contact with contaminated air, water, and vegetation contributes to the excessive accumulation of harmful substances in the tissues of the body, which leads to various diseases.

Symptoms of the disease

Symptoms of lung cancer may present unusually in the early stages:

girdling pain, uncharacteristic of this disease;
shoulder pain;
increase in body temperature up to 37 degrees, which is typical for many diseases;
cough with lung cancer is also a symptom of other, less serious diseases;
shortness of breath is a characteristic symptom of cardiac dysfunction.

The first signs of lung cancer are similar to the symptoms of a cold. The difference is that a cold is cured faster, while oncology symptoms gradually increasing Fatigue, apathy, and pain in the limbs appear.

In women, the disease manifests itself in a change in the timbre of the voice - hoarseness appears. Symptoms in the early stages can only be accurately determined by using modern species diagnostics:

taking tests for tumor markers, which with a certain degree of probability will confirm the diagnosis, but not one hundred percent;
use of magnetic resonance imaging;
do regular ;
Based on general blood and urine tests, we can conclude that there are pathologies in the body.

Pneumonia and lung cancer are very similar diseases. Without the use of laboratory and technical means, even a doctor cannot say for sure how to distinguish one disease from another, especially if pneumonia is severe or lung cancer develops slowly.

Kinds

How does cancer manifest, depending on its location? Exists several types, located in various parts of the lung tissue:

peripheral cancer – localized on the sides where there are few pain receptors, so this type does not manifest pain for a long time, has a more positive prognosis if detected in the early stages;
central cancer is a more dangerously located tumor, since large vessels, nerve nodes, and bronchi are located nearby - the first symptoms are long-term continuous debilitating cough, then the tumor blocks the lumen of the bronchi;
the apical subtype is characterized by multiple symptoms, completely diverse - headaches, asymmetrical shapes of the face or eyes, which at first glance is characteristic for neurological diseases;
atypical location of tumors - manifested in the appearance of a lesion between the right and left lobes.

Cough in lung cancer is the first symptom, but it is most often ignored, not being considered an important sign. Different types of pulmonary oncology have their own specific cough.

Cough appears from the first days of the disease. At first it is dry and paroxysmal. You should pay attention if purulent sputum streaked with blood appears. Sputum in lung cancer appears in later stages - 3 - 4. Blood is most often bright red. There are different types of cough:

continuous, with shortness of breath;
severe cough at night, when the patient's supine position complicates the removal of sputum;
A hoarse, silent cough indicates the development of a pathological process and changes in the structure of organ tissue.

When visiting your doctor, you should try to describe your cough. Perhaps this will help you decide on a plan of action and begin the examination.