Oncology: the problem has a solution. Lung cancer - symptoms and first signs, causes, diagnosis, treatment Lung cancer symptoms in adults

Symptoms of lung cancer in the early stages are often vague and resemble colds.

Therefore, with a constant cough, chest pain and general deterioration in health, it is important to visit a doctor for diagnosis and further adequate treatment.

Causes

Before you understand how lung cancer manifests itself, it is important to know the causes of the disease. This pathology of oncology is characterized by the rapid development of tumor formations and early appearance of metastases .

The following factors provoke the disease:

1. Age. The disease actively develops most often in adults after 40 years of age and reaches its peak by 75 years of age. The disease is rare in adolescents.
2. Floor. For every 5 adult men diagnosed with lung cancer, there is 1 woman. As you age, the proportions change 8 to 1.
3. Genetic predisposition.
4. Long history of smoking and a large number of cigarettes smoked per day.
5. In 20% of cases it can provoke lung cancer passive smoking.
6. Work in radon mines. Signs of the disease are observed in such people more often than in heavy smokers.
7. Work in hazardous production conditions.
8. Chronic diseases of the pulmonary system: tuberculosis, bronchitis, asthma, lung destruction.
9. Radioactive exposure.

Symptoms

The first signs at the initial stage of the disease are often not associated with problems of the respiratory system. Many patients undergo a large number of doctors, complaining of a wide variety of symptoms, suspecting that they have other diseases.

Often the early stage of lung cancer passes without symptoms, so recognizing the disease is quite difficult.

In lung cancer, the manifestations of the disease are as follows:

• Low temperature within 37.1-37.3 degrees;
• Dizziness and poor health, which is provoked by intoxication of the body;
• Increased weakness and fatigue;
• Reduced performance;
• Severe sweating at rest or with minor physical exertion;
• Patients begin to develop skin problems in the form of dermatitis and severe itching of the skin;
• In older people, growths may appear on the body;
• Allergic reactions with fever;
• Swelling of the face;
• Muscle weakness;
• At the initial stage of the disease, there may be no cough;
• Functional disorders of the nervous system are observed;
• Depression appears;
• Insomnia;
• Older people may develop dementia and their character changes greatly.

These are the primary signs and syndromes that patients at the initial stage of lung cancer complain about. Disturbances in the functioning of the respiratory system begin to appear later.

The main symptoms that indicate the disease appear when the tumor covers a certain area of ​​the lung and begins to actively destroy healthy organ tissue.

As the disease progresses, the patient experiences the following symptoms:

• A prolonged, dry cough is the first and main symptom of lung cancer. Most often, painful coughing attacks bother the patient at night. Many patients mistake it for a smoker's cough;
• As the disease progresses, the cough begins to produce sputum, which resembles pus or thick mucus;
• The sputum has an unpleasant odor;
• Over time, hemoptysis begins due to the destruction of blood vessels by the tumor. It is sputum with blood that alarms the patient, and he consults a doctor;
• Chest pain appears as the tumor invades the pleura. The pain can be aching or sharp, bother you constantly or during physical activity;
• Shortness of breath appears;
• Temperatures may fluctuate throughout the day. At the same time, the doctor does not find any colds;
• Possible weight gain;
• Pink streaks may appear on the skin;
• Anorexia may also occur;
• The patient is concerned about vomiting and nausea, which may contain blood;
• Vision is impaired;
• The patient is diagnosed with osteoporosis;
• Swelling of the neck appears;
• The saphenous veins begin to protrude;
• Hoarseness of voice;
• Bone pain;
• Change in skin color;
• The patient has difficulty swallowing food.

Symptoms are generally the same in men and women. But some symptoms, depending on gender, may be more pronounced or barely noticeable.

In most cases, due to the characteristics of the body, women are more difficult to tolerate the symptoms of the disease.

Types of cancer

Doctors use several classifications of the disease, which give an idea of ​​the stage of the disease, the size of the tumor, and the condition of the organs as the tumors grow.

To select the necessary treatment, it is important to know what types of lung cancer exist, their external features and how one or another form occurs.

Central

This type of disease affects the large bronchi.

The growth begins inside, then invades the walls of the organ, eventually narrowing the bronchi and blocking the lumen.

Oxygen stops flowing and atelectasis appears. Inflammatory processes begin to progress in it. At later stages, decomposition of the lung is revealed.

If this type of lung cancer is diagnosed in time, the first signs have not yet progressed, treatment has a favorable prognosis. Therefore, it is important to identify the early process of the disease, determine what pathology already exists and begin active treatment.

Peripheral

It is easy to recognize this type of disease using diagnostic procedures.

Small bronchi are damaged.

The tumor, growing, begins to come out, filling the alveoli. Quite large nodes can form over time.

The danger of this disease is that this type of cancer develops very slowly and in the early stages there are practically no symptoms. Sometimes it takes up to 5 years to feel signs of the disease. The tumor seems to be dormant. But as soon as any unfavorable factor becomes active, education begins to grow rapidly. In a short period of time, the tumor can become large.

The following factors can trigger growth:

• Viral diseases;
• Pneumonia;
• Physiotherapy;
• Decreased immunity;
• Visit to the solarium.

With this type of disease, men and women do not experience different symptoms. They are similar in their manifestations.

You can recognize the progression of the disease by shortness of breath, paroxysmal pain, and hemoptysis.

Small cell

The disease is characterized by an aggressive course. Metastases grow very quickly, affecting nearby organs.

25% of patients are diagnosed with this type of disease. Men are most often affected by this form of cancer.

It is important to know where the disease begins in order to consult a doctor in a timely manner.

The main features are:

• The appearance of a cough;
• Sputum production with blood;
• Hoarse voice;
• Back pain.

The disease may be accompanied by fever.

Diagnostics

Treatment can have a favorable outcome if diagnosed early. Despite the fact that it is difficult to identify the disease at this stage, in 60% of cases pathological changes in the lungs are detected during a fluorographic examination.

Therefore, for preventive purposes, fluorography must be done at least once a year. It is used to determine the state of the pulmonary system.

If symptoms and manifestations of the disease are established, the patient is given an x-ray to confirm the diagnosis. If lung diseases are detected, a course of treatment is prescribed, after which control studies are carried out.

In tuberculosis, the signs and formations are similar to peripheral cancer.

Therefore, in order to accurately diagnose the disease, the patient undergoes a histological examination of the affected tissue. This will confirm or remove suspicion of cancer.

The disease is determined using computed tomography . This procedure will help to detect nodes, determine the stage of cancer, the size of the tumor, its location, the presence of the smallest metastases, and the condition of the lymph nodes.

Boronchoscopy or bronchography is also used. To do this, a study of the bronchial tree is performed using a contrast agent.

Inflammatory and pathological processes in the pulmonary system are determined by sputum.

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Treatment

Treatment may have a favorable prognosis if the disease is diagnosed at an early stage.

The following methods are used:

• Antitumor treatment;
• Chemotherapy;
• Radiation therapy;
• Preventive measures to prevent relapses.

If the tumor is large and there are metastases, surgery is performed. Self-medication at home is strictly prohibited.

It is important to carry out preventive measures in a timely manner and monitor your health. If people have a genetic predisposition to cancer, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the pulmonary system and completely stop smoking.

One of the most common pathologies encountered by an oncologist is lung cancer. This is due to an increase in the amount of urban carcinogens (dust, gas, heavy metals) and work in occupationally hazardous enterprises. Let's look at what lung cancer is, what the main symptoms are and the prognosis for treatment.

What it is?

Lung cancer is a group of malignant tumors of the lung, arising from various parts of the epithelial tissue of the bronchi and characterized by rapid growth, early and numerous metastases.

Depending on the location of the primary tumor, there are:

1. Central cancer. It is located in the main and lobar bronchi.
2. Aeripheral. This tumor develops from small bronchi and bronchioles.

In addition, pathology is divided into primary - when the tumor develops in one of the parts of the lung, and metastatic - if the primary tumor is located in other organs. Most often, cancer of the uterus, kidneys, testicles, stomach, thyroid and breast metastasizes to the lungs.

Mostly men suffer from this form of cancer (several times more often than women). The urban population is more susceptible to pathology.

The main factor that contributes to the development of the problem is considered to be exposure to various airborne carcinogens. Thus, constant contact with dust containing metals (bismuth, cobalt, lead, zinc, etc.), working with soot and asbestos - all this is a direct risk of developing a tumor process.

A special place is given to smoking. A daily cigarette increases the risk of developing a lung tumor by 6 or more times. Other contributing factors are chronic diseases of the pulmonary system (, etc.), as well as malformations of the bronchial tree.

Important! Radiation and X-ray radiation contributes to the development if contact with it exceeds permissible standards (for example, among radiologists when protection rules are not followed).

The clinical picture of lung cancer is determined by various factors. Each form has its own characteristics, depending on the type of tumor, location and other parameters.

The first symptoms of lung cancer often have no direct connection with the respiratory system. Patients spend a long time turning to different specialists of different profiles, are examined for a long time and, accordingly, receive the wrong treatment.

Most patients mention the following symptoms among the first signs of lung cancer:

1. Low-grade fever, which does not change during the day and is very exhausting for the patient. These symptoms are associated with internal intoxication of the body.
2. Unmotivated weakness and fatigue.
3. Itching of the skin. Sometimes this symptom can be the first manifestation of lung cancer. The patient develops dermatitis or painful itching of the skin, and older people even experience growths on the skin. Such manifestations of the tumor may be associated with the allergic effect of cancer cells on the body.
4. Swelling and muscle weakness.
5. Disorders of the central nervous system. These abnormalities can begin long before cancer is detected. The patient experiences dizziness, sensitivity and coordination are impaired. Older people may develop dementia.

Typical signs of damage to the respiratory system will appear much later, when the tumor takes over a certain volume of the lung and begins to massively destroy healthy tissue. If similar and unclear symptoms are detected, you should consult a specialist, and do not forget about undergoing scheduled annual fluorography.

As the tumor process progresses, the patient will experience a variety of both pulmonary and extrapulmonary symptoms and signs of lung cancer:

1. Cough. At first it may be dry and usually bothers you at night. Even painful coughing attacks are not a reason to visit a doctor, because patients attribute it to the habitual cough of a smoker. Subsequently, sputum begins to be released: mucous or purulent with an unpleasant odor.

2. Hemoptysis. Most often, it is the blood in the sputum that alarms the patient and forces him to go to the doctor. This symptom is associated with tumor growth into blood vessels.

3. Pain in the chest. When the tumor process affects the pleura (the lining of the lung), where the nerve fibers and endings are located, the patient develops excruciating pain in the chest. They can be sharp and aching, constantly bother you or depend on breathing and physical stress, but most often they are located on the side of the affected lung.

4. Shortness of breath and a feeling of lack of air.

5. Temperature. It remains at the level of subfebrile values ​​or jumps to high numbers, especially in the later stages.

6. Manifestations of Itsenko-Cushing syndrome(obesity, increased hair growth, pink stripes on the skin). This is due to the fact that some types of cancer cells can synthesize ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone). Excessive synthesis of this hormone causes similar symptoms.

7. Anorexia(loss of body weight), vomiting, problems with the functioning of the nervous system - such signs may worry the patient if the tumor synthesizes antidiuretic hormone.

8. Calcium metabolism disorder(vomiting, lethargy, vision problems, osteoporosis). These symptoms appear if cancer cells synthesize substances similar to the hormones of the parathyroid gland, which regulates calcium metabolism.

9. Superior vena cava compression syndrome(subcutaneous veins protrude, the neck and shoulder girdle swell, problems with swallowing appear). This symptom complex develops with the rapid development of the tumor process.

When nerve fibers are damaged, paralysis and paresis of the muscles of the shoulder girdle and phrenic nerves develop, and swallowing processes are disrupted. If lung cancer metastasizes to the brain, any neurological disorders and death of the patient may occur.

Important! Sometimes patients worry about what stage 4 lung cancer symptoms look like. It is impossible to clearly predict how the disease will develop. Its manifestations depend on the type of cancer, the presence of metastases, the size of the tumor and a number of other factors.

Before death, patients with stage 4 lung cancer experience symptoms of cancer intoxication, severe neurological disorders, paresis and paralysis, cachexia, edema, swallowing disorders, etc.

Stages of lung cancer and metastases

According to the international TNM classification, there are 4 stages of lung cancer. It takes into account: T – the size of the primary tumor, N – the presence of regional metastases, M – the presence of distant metastases:

1. Stage 1 - a small tumor of one of the sections of the bronchus, without metastases;
2. Stage 2 - a small single tumor that has not grown into the pleura, with single regional metastases;
3. Stage 3 - the tumor extends beyond the lung with numerous regional metastases;
4. Stage 4 - a tumor beyond the boundaries of the lung, involving the pleura and nearby organs. There are many distant and regional metastases.

Metastases are secondary foci of tumor cell growth. These cells are carried with the lymph flow to different organs and give rise to a new colony of cancer cells there.

In addition to this classification, when characterizing the cancer process, they mention the characteristics of its growth (endo or exobronchial) and location (apical, hilar, central, etc.).

The lungs are an organ with good blood supply and lymphatic drainage, so it quickly metastasizes to other structures. Most often these are the brain, liver and second lung.

Based on its histological structure (cellular structure), lung cancer is divided into:

• Small cell cancer. It is characterized by sharp aggressiveness and quickly metastasizes. Occurs in 15-20% of cases;
• Non-small cell. All other forms belong to it.

Methods for diagnosing lung cancer

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

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

It is an effective method of research, 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.

Several specialists take part in the selection of a treatment regimen: oncologist, therapist and radiologist. Therapy depends on the stage, histological structure of the tumor, the presence of metastases and the patient’s condition.

There are radiation, surgical, combined (radiation plus surgery), chemotherapy and complex treatment. If a patient is diagnosed with small cell cancer, then radiation and chemotherapy are chosen.

For other types of cancer, preference is given to surgery in combination with radiation therapy. At stage 4 cancer, chemotherapy is administered and the patient’s quality of life is maintained.

Surgery is contraindicated in severe patients with severe intoxication, when the tumor has grown into the pleura and sternum wall, when metastases are detected in the mediastinum and some other cases.

How long do they live? (forecast)

The prognosis depends on the type of cancer, the presence of metastases and the stage at which treatment was started. Life expectancy is largely determined by the condition of the intrathoracic lymph nodes. Patients with regional lymph node metastases usually die within two years.

The five-year survival rate among operated patients with lung cancer at stages 1 and 2 is about 60 and 40%, respectively. When treating the disease at stage 3, this figure drops to 25%.

How long people live with stage 4 lung cancer depends on its type and the presence of metastatic foci. The statistics are harsh; the five-year prognosis for such patients is no more than 5%.

Lung cancer is a serious disease that is difficult to detect in the early stages due to nonspecific symptoms and the lack of a clear clinical picture of the disease.

You can prevent and reduce the risk of lung cancer by quitting smoking, treating chronic lung pathology and getting rid of occupational airborne hazards. In addition, we should not forget about routine lung checks using fluorography or x-rays.

The first symptoms of lung cancer are nonspecific; they resemble the signs of many ailments that can develop in the respiratory system. This is precisely the reason why patients are in no hurry to seek help from specialists. Lung cancer is the name of a whole group of tumors that are malignant in nature. The area of ​​primary localization of the tumor process is the cells of the bronchi and lung parenchyma. The earliest stages of lung cancer are highly treatable with chemotherapy and surgery. If cancer is detected at later stages, the prognosis is usually poor.

As the disease progresses, cancer cells metastasize throughout the body, which leads to the occurrence of metastases in healthy human organs and tissues.

Diagnosing lung cancer at an early stage is the most important condition for effective treatment.

Symptoms of lung cancer

A patient who has been diagnosed with the disease is concerned about the early symptoms of lung cancer, manifested in the form of:

• whistling sound when breathing;
• shortness of breath;
• dry cough or sputum production.

If a cough occurs with sputum, there may be traces of blood in the sputum. Additionally, as the disease progresses, the following first symptoms of lung cancer may develop:

• decreased vitality;
• state of apathy;
• lethargy of the body;
• an increase in temperature for no apparent reason.

When a person experiences an increase in body temperature, difficulties arise in diagnosing the disease, since most often this symptom is perceived as a sign of the development of chronic bronchitis and pneumonia.

The first signs of lung cancer, such as wheezing and persistent cough, most often force the patient to seek help from a specialist at a medical facility. It is worth noting that the appearance of a cough may signal the transition of the disease to a more severe phase of development.

If the first signs of the disease went unnoticed and no treatment was carried out, the patient’s condition worsens significantly over time. If left untreated, the disease begins to progress rapidly, leading to damage to neighboring organs. Damage to organs and systems leads to the appearance of more obvious symptoms. Most often, metastases penetrate into bone tissue, liver, adrenal glands and brain.

With the long-term development of the disease, a person develops the following signs of disease progression:

• obstructive jaundice;
• disorders of a neuralgic nature;
• increased heart rate and cardiac arrhythmia;
• pain in the bones;
• difficulties in swallowing acts.

The appearance of these signs forces the patient to visit specialists of various profiles.

The appearance of external signs may indicate the progression of the disease. The main external signs of the disease are:

• swelling of the upper half of the body;
• the appearance of pallor of the skin;
• expansion of saphenous veins;
• inflammation of the lymph nodes.

Read also: Are injections for colds and flu really necessary?

These signs characterize the development of central cancer; in contrast, peripheral cancer develops almost asymptomatically.

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Diagnosis, stages of development and types of lung cancer

Diagnosing cancer in the early stages of development is associated with certain difficulties, since the data obtained do not always reflect the full picture of the development of the disease.

The early stages of cancer development are most often perceived by patients as ordinary pneumonia.

The main method for detecting cancer today is radiography. In addition to radiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography are used to diagnose developing cancer. If necessary, the diagnostic specialist may prescribe an additional examination of the patient’s body using bronchoscopy and mediastinoscopy.

Specialists in the field of oncological diseases classify the disease according to differences revealed during histological examination of tumor foci. Experts identify the following types of lung cancer:

• squamous cell carcinoma;
• small cell;
• large cell;
• glandular cancer.

The squamous cell type of cancer is characterized by slow progression and the absence of metastases for a long time. The glandular type of cancer has a long development period. However, this type of disease is characterized by the rapid spread of cancer cells throughout the body through the bloodstream. Large cell and small cell types of cancers develop very rapidly. These forms of the disease are characterized by the early appearance of metastases.

Depending on the degree of progression of the disease, experts distinguish 5 stages of cancer development.

The zero stage of the disease is characterized by the formation of clusters of tumor cells. When the first stage is reached, a local tumor formation with a size of up to 3 cm appears. When the cancer reaches the second stage, the tumor does not increase in size, but the presence of damage to the lymph nodes is detected. At the third stage of cancer formation, the tumor enlarges and metastases spread to neighboring organs. The fourth stage is characterized by the development of a tumor of any size and active metastasis to other organs and tissues of the body.

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Causes and risk factors for cancer

The human lungs are the only organ that is in direct contact with the environment. The air entering the lungs reaches the alveoli unchanged. Microparticles that are present in the inhaled air are retained on the walls of the mucous membrane. Due to constant contact with the external environment, the mucous epithelium of the lungs has a high rate of cell renewal.

Read also: Main types of pulmonary tuberculosis

The inhaled air contains various aggressive components that settle on the microvilli of the epithelium.

When the protective properties of epithelial tissue cells decrease, they are exposed to external pathogenic factors, which increases the likelihood of various mutations that provoke the occurrence of neoplasms.

Potential causes of lung cancer may include:

• increased rate of epithelial apoptosis;
• relative lack of protection of the tissue that makes up the organ.

The likelihood of developing cancer is directly related to age and the presence of genetic prerequisites, as well as the presence of chronic pulmonary diseases in the body.

Most often, oncological foci occur in the lungs in people who have been exposed to physicochemical and biological factors for a long time, and in those who have a hereditary predisposition. The main risk factors are:

• carcinogenic substances from tobacco smoke;
• natural radon radiation;
• age-related changes in the body;
• presence of genetic predisposition;
• factors related to professional activity;
• endogenous factors.

In some patients, the causes of cancer are unclear, and the use of modern examination methods does not allow them to be determined.

The incidence rate of lung cancer depends on the area of ​​residence, the degree of industrialization, climatic and production conditions, gender, age, genetic predisposition and other factors.

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer is a malignant neoplasm that develops from the glands and mucous membrane of the lung tissue and bronchi. In the modern world, lung cancer ranks top among all cancer diseases. According to statistics, this oncology affects men eight times more often than women, and it was noted that the older the age, the much higher the incidence rate.

The development of lung cancer is different for tumors of different histological structures. Differentiated squamous cell carcinoma is characterized by a slow course; undifferentiated carcinoma develops quickly and gives extensive metastases.

Small cell lung cancer has the most malignant course:

• develops secretly and quickly,
• metastasizes early
• has a poor prognosis.

Most often, the tumor occurs in the right lung - in 52%, in the left lung - in 48% of cases.

The main group of patients are long-term smokers, men aged 50 to 80 years; this category accounts for 60-70% of all cases of lung cancer, and the mortality rate is 70-90%.

According to some researchers, the structure of incidence of various forms of this pathology depending on age is as follows:

• up to 45 – 10% of all cases;
• from 46 to 60 years – 52% of cases;
• from 61 to 75 years old – 38% of cases.

Until recently, lung cancer was considered a predominantly male disease. Currently, there is an increase in the incidence of women and a decrease in the age of initial detection of the disease.

Depending on the location of the primary tumor, there are:

• Central cancer. It is located in the main and lobar bronchi.
• Aeripheral. This tumor develops from small bronchi and bronchioles.

1. Small cell cancer (less common) is a very aggressive neoplasm, as it can very quickly spread throughout the body, metastasizing to other organs. As a rule, small cell cancer occurs in smokers, and by the time of diagnosis, 60% of patients have widespread metastasis.
2. Non-small cell (80–85% of cases) – has a negative prognosis, combines several forms of morphologically similar types of cancer with a similar cell structure.

• central – affects the main, lobar and segmental bronchi;
• peripheral - damage to the epithelium of smaller bronchi, bronchioles and alveloli;
• massive (mixed).

The progression of the tumor goes through three stages:

• Biological – the period between the appearance of a neoplasm and the manifestation of the first symptoms.
• Asymptomatic - external signs of the pathological process do not appear at all, becoming noticeable only on an x-ray.
• Clinical – the period when noticeable symptoms of cancer appear, which becomes an incentive to rush to the doctor.

Causes

Main causes of lung cancer:

• smoking, including passive smoking (about 90% of all cases);
• contact with carcinogenic substances;
• inhalation of radon and asbestos fibers;
• hereditary predisposition;
• age category over 50 years;
• influence of harmful production factors;
• radioactive exposure;
• the presence of chronic respiratory diseases and endocrine pathologies;
• cicatricial changes in the lungs;
• viral infections;
• air pollution.

The disease develops covertly for a long time. The tumor begins to form in the glands and mucous membrane, but metastases grow very quickly throughout the body. Risk factors for the occurrence of malignant neoplasms are:

• air pollution;
• smoking;
• viral infections;
• hereditary causes;
• harmful production conditions.

Please note: Cancer cells that attack the lungs divide very quickly, spreading the tumor throughout the body and destroying other organs. Therefore, timely diagnosis of the disease is important. The earlier lung cancer is detected and its treatment is started, the higher the chance of extending the patient’s life.

The very first signs of lung cancer

The first symptoms of lung cancer often have no direct connection with the respiratory system. Patients spend a long time turning to different specialists of different profiles, are examined for a long time and, accordingly, receive the wrong treatment.

• low-grade fever, which is not controlled by medications and is extremely exhausting for the patient (during this period the body is exposed to internal intoxication);
• weakness and fatigue already in the first half of the day;
• itching of the skin with the development of dermatitis, and possibly the appearance of growths on the skin (caused by the allergic effect of malignant cells);
• muscle weakness and increased swelling;
• Central nervous system disorders, in particular dizziness (even fainting), impaired coordination of movements or loss of sensitivity.

If these signs appear, be sure to contact a pulmonologist to undergo diagnostics and clarify the diagnosis.

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.

• 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.
• The appearance of 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.

Symptoms of lung cancer

Clinical manifestations of lung cancer depend on the primary location of the tumor. At the initial stage, most often the disease is asymptomatic. In later stages, general and specific signs of cancer may appear.

Early, first symptoms of lung cancer are not specific and usually do not cause alarm, these include:

• unmotivated fatigue
• loss of appetite
• slight weight loss may occur
• cough
• specific symptoms: cough with “rusty” sputum, shortness of breath, hemoptysis that occurs in later stages
• pain syndrome indicates the involvement of nearby organs and tissues in the process

Specific symptoms of lung cancer:

• Cough is causeless, paroxysmal, debilitating, but not dependent on physical activity, sometimes with greenish sputum, which may indicate the central location of the tumor.
• Dyspnea. Lack of air and shortness of breath first appear in case of exertion, and as the tumor develops, they bother the patient even in a supine position.
• Pain in the chest. When the tumor process affects the pleura (the lining of the lung), where the nerve fibers and endings are located, the patient develops excruciating pain in the chest. They can be sharp and aching, constantly bother you or depend on breathing and physical stress, but most often they are located on the side of the affected lung.
• Hemoptysis. Typically, a meeting between the doctor and the patient occurs after blood begins to come out of the mouth and nose with sputum. This symptom indicates that the tumor has begun to affect the blood vessels.

• dry cough;
• weakness;
• loss of appetite;
• malaise;
• temperature increase;
• headache.

• hemoptysis;
• wheezing when breathing;
• weight loss;
• elevated temperature;
• increased cough;
• chest pain;
• weakness.

• increased wet cough;
• blood, pus in sputum;
• difficulty breathing;
• dyspnea;
• problems with swallowing;
• hemoptysis;
• sudden weight loss;
• epilepsy, speech impairment, in the small cell form;
• intense pain.

Signs of lung cancer in men

• A debilitating, frequent cough is one of the first signs of lung cancer. Subsequently, sputum appears, its color may become greenish-yellow. During physical labor or hypothermia, coughing attacks intensify.
• When breathing, whistling and shortness of breath appear;
• Pain syndrome appears in the chest area. It can be considered a sign of cancer if the first two symptoms are present.
• When you cough, in addition to sputum, discharge in the form of blood clots may appear.
• Attacks of apathy, increased loss of strength, increased fatigue;
• With normal nutrition, the patient loses weight sharply;
• In the absence of inflammatory processes or colds, body temperature is elevated;
• The voice becomes hoarse, this is due to damage to the laryngeal nerve;
• The neoplasm may cause pain in the shoulder;
• Swallowing problems. This is due to tumor damage to the walls of the esophagus and respiratory tract;
• Muscle weakness. Patients, as a rule, do not pay attention to this symptom;
• Dizziness;
• Heart rhythm disturbance.

Lung cancer in women

Important signs of lung cancer in women are discomfort in the chest area. They manifest themselves in varying intensity depending on the form of the disease. The discomfort becomes especially strong if the intercostal nerves are involved in the pathological process. It is practically unstoppable and does not leave the patient.

Unpleasant sensations are of the following types:

Along with common symptoms, there are signs of lung cancer in women:

• changes in voice timbre (hoarseness);
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• swallowing dysfunction;
• pain in the bones;
• frequent fractures;
• jaundice – with metastasis to the liver.

The presence of one or more signs characteristic of a single category of respiratory diseases should be the reason for immediate contact with a specialist.

A person noticing the above symptoms should report them to the doctor or supplement the information he collects with the following information:

• attitude towards smoking with pulmonary symptoms;
• presence of cancer in blood relatives;
• gradual intensification of one of the above symptoms (this is a valuable addition, as it indicates the slow development of the disease, characteristic of oncology);
• acute intensification of symptoms against the background of chronic previous malaise, general weakness, decreased appetite and body weight is also a variant of carcinogenesis.

Diagnostics

How is lung cancer determined? Up to 60% of lung cancer lesions are detected during preventive fluorography, at different stages of development.

• Only 5-15% of patients with lung cancer are registered at stage 1
• At stage 3%
• By 4 - more than 10%

Diagnosis for suspected lung cancer includes:

• general clinical blood and urine tests;
• biochemical blood test;
• cytological studies of sputum, bronchial washings, pleural exudate;
• assessment of physical data;
• X-ray of the lungs in 2 projections, linear tomography, CT scan of the lungs;
• bronchoscopy (fiber bronchoscopy);
• pleural puncture (if there is effusion);
• diagnostic thoracotomy;
• Prescale biopsy of lymph nodes.

Early diagnosis offers hope for cure. The most reliable way in this case is an x-ray of the lungs. The diagnosis is clarified using endoscopic bronchography. It can be used to determine the size and location of the tumor. In addition, a cytological examination (biopsy) is required.

Lung cancer treatment

The first thing I want to say is that treatment is carried out only by a doctor! No self-medication! This is a very important point. After all, the sooner you seek help from a specialist, the greater the chances of a favorable outcome of the disease.

The choice of a specific treatment tactic depends on many factors:

• Stage of the disease;
• Histological structure of carcinoma;
• Presence of concomitant pathologies;
• A combination of all the fatcores described above.

There are several complementary treatments for lung cancer:

• Surgical intervention;
• Radiation therapy;
• Chemotherapy.

Surgery

Surgical intervention is the most effective method, which is indicated only at stages 1 and 2. The following types are divided:

• Radical – the primary tumor focus and regional lymph nodes are subject to removal;
• Palliative – aimed at maintaining the patient’s condition.

Chemotherapy

When small cell cancer is detected, the leading treatment method is chemotherapy, since this form of tumor is the most sensitive to conservative treatment methods. The effectiveness of chemotherapy is quite high and can achieve good results for several years.

Chemotherapy is of the following types:

• therapeutic – to reduce metastases;
• adjuvant – used for prophylactic purposes to prevent relapse;
• inadequate – immediately before surgery to reduce tumors. It also helps to identify the level of sensitivity of cells to drug treatment and establish its effectiveness.

Radiation therapy

Another treatment method is radiation therapy: it is used for incurable lung tumors of stage 3-4; it allows achieving good results in small cell cancer, especially in combination with chemotherapy. The standard dosage for radiation treatment is gray.

The use of radiation therapy for lung cancer is considered as a separate method if the patient refuses chemotherapy and resection is impossible.

Forecast

Perhaps no experienced doctor will undertake to make accurate predictions for lung cancer. This disease can behave in unpredictable ways, which is largely explained by the variety of histological variations in the structure of tumors.

However, curing the patient is still possible. As a rule, a combination of surgery and radiation therapy leads to a successful outcome.

How long do people live with lung cancer?

• In the absence of treatment, almost 90% of patients do not survive more than 2–5 years after diagnosis of the disease;
• with surgical treatment, 30% of patients have a chance to live more than 5 years;
• with a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, another 40% of patients have a chance to live more than 5 years.

Don’t forget about prevention, which includes:

• healthy lifestyle: proper nutrition and exercise
• giving up bad habits, especially smoking

Prevention

Prevention of lung cancer includes the following recommendations:

• Quitting bad habits, primarily smoking;
• Maintaining a healthy lifestyle: 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.

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Signs of lung cancer

Posted By: admin 04/20/2016

Bronchogenic carcinoma, bronchogenic carcinoma, is a malignant tumor in the lungs that begins to develop from pathogenic epithelial tissues.

Modern medicine does not have sufficient means to effectively combat this disease, so the mortality rate from the cancer process in this organ is about 85%.

Etiology

There are many reasons that have the ability to cause a cancerous process in the lungs; they are conventionally divided into two groups: those associated with a person’s lifestyle, and those independent of it. Independent are those reasons that a person cannot influence; they do not depend on his actions or lifestyle. These include:

1. Heredity - more than three known cases of lung cancer in the family among relatives;
2. The patient has parallel tumors in other organs (multiple form), which are capable of metastasizing to the lungs;
3. Age – people over 50 years of age are at increased risk;
4. The presence of chronic pathological processes in the lungs.
5. Dysfunction of the endocrine system;

The human factor is something that depends on a person and that he is able to change:

1. Tobacco smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, especially in adults. When tobacco burns, toxic carcinogens are released into the body; there are about 4,000 different varieties of them. Toxic substances are inhaled along with smoke and accumulate on the bronchial mucosa. Their action leads to burning out of this membrane, it kills living cells and destroys the ciliated epithelium. In addition, tobacco poisons penetrate the bloodstream and spread to many vital organs, causing the same changes there. The residue from cigarettes remains in the lungs for life; it is not excreted or absorbed, but only accumulates with each cigarette smoked, gradually covering the lung tissue with soot. In a non-smoker, the lungs are pink, soft and porous. For a smoker it’s the opposite; they are black, rough and inelastic.
2. Professional activity - a person working in certain enterprises with increased hazards (especially those related to the respiratory system) is at greater risk of developing lung cancer.

Such enterprises include:

• Work in workshops for the production of metal structures or asbestos.
• Cotton mills;
• Professional work with poisons and heavy metals;
• Work at great depths in a mine;
• Production of rubber products.

1. The state of the atmosphere - life in megacities is a constant risk to human health. Every day, a city resident inhales thousands of different carcinogens that enter the atmosphere with emissions from factories or exhaust gases.

Symptoms

Any symptoms of an oncological process in the lungs can be divided into general and specific. Symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage are very mild or absent altogether.

• Weakness;
• Rapid weight loss;
• Lack of appetite;
• Increased sweating;
• Body hyperthermia, without any reason;

Specific signs of lung cancer:

1. Cough – appears unexpectedly and often. Some patients themselves notice how their cough changes, which acquires frequent attacks, becomes annoying, and the nature of the sputum changes. In some cases, it may appear when inhaling cold air or lying down.
2. Hemoptysis is one of the characteristic symptoms of lung cancer. Traces of blood can be found in the sputum after a cough: in the form of bright impurities or dark clots. But this symptom is also characteristic of other equally dangerous pulmonary diseases, therefore, at the first manifestations of bloody sputum, you should consult a specialist.
3. Shortness of breath - occurs against the background of restructuring of the lung tissue; in cancer, it often begins to bother after blockage of the bronchus (atelectasis). This pathology disrupts the normal circulation of oxygen in the lung tissue and reduces ventilation. A growing tumor can provoke atelectasis of the entire lung and completely block it.
4. Chest pain is very often associated with tumor growth into the pleura (it has many painful endings).

Diagnostics

Making the correct diagnosis for lung cancer is not easy. The tumor has the ability to manifest itself in the form of other pathologies (pneumonia, tuberculosis, abscess, etc.). Because of this, more than half of lung cancer processes are diagnosed already at advanced stages, which are inoperable. The first stages of neoplasms, and even some advanced cases, do not produce any symptoms, and are determined randomly during medical examinations or after a number of complications occur.

To determine lung cancer, you should undergo several diagnostic procedures:

1. Fluorography is a massive, annual preventive measure, the purpose of which is to identify the most severe lung pathologies: tubes. process, neoplasms of the lungs and mediastinum, pneumonia. If any changes are detected on the FG image, it is necessary to conduct an additional X-ray examination of the OKC in two projections (front and side);
2. X-ray of the OGK helps the doctor to consider the presence of pathologies; during the description, two images are necessarily taken into account;
3. CT or MRI with the introduction of contrast agents are modern diagnostic methods that give the doctor the opportunity to study pathological changes in the lungs in more detail. These methods also allow you to differentiate pathology (you can accurately determine whether it is cancer or tuberculosis, pneumonia, etc.);
4. Bronchoscopy is a method of examining the bronchial tree to determine the presence of central cancer. Bronchoscopy allows you to visually examine the tumor, calculate its size and take materials for a biopsy;
5. Sputum analysis is a method with not very high efficiency, but in some cases it allows one to suspect the presence of cancer by the presence of atypical cells;
6. Thoracoscopy is an instrumental examination method that involves inserting a probe with a camera through holes in the pleura;
7. Tumor biopsy.

Unfortunately, modern medicine does not have a universal method for 100% diagnosing malignant tumors, since cancer can be confused with other lung diseases. Before making a final diagnosis, the doctor must use a full range of examinations.

Stages

Stage I – the formation measures up to 3 centimeters, there are no metastases, the tumor does not extend beyond the segment;

Stage II – the size increases to 6 centimeters, does not extend beyond the segment, there are individual metastases in the regional lymph nodes;

Stage III - the size exceeds 6 centimeters and spreads to the bronchi or to the adjacent lobe of the lung. Metastases in the lymph nodes of the respiratory system;

Stage IV - the tumor grows beyond the borders of the lung, local and distant metastases appear (patients with the fourth stage are inoperable and are not able to live long; more than one doctor cannot say exactly how long the patient will live, and in most cases the disease ends in death).

How long do you live with lung cancer?

The disease has a high mortality rate due to the important role the lungs play in the normal functioning of the body. People are able to live for some time even with damage to the brain, liver, kidneys or any other organs, but biological death is a state of complete cessation of breathing or heartbeat. At advanced stages of lung cancer, a sick person experiences a rapid decline in the vital functions of the body due to a decrease in respiratory ability.

There are statistics on the five-year survival rate of people with various stages of lung tumors. People who start a course of treatment in the early stages have a greater chance of living a long life, but still, the final forecast of how long it will take is always individual for everyone.

High chances of survival can be attributed to peripheral lung lesions. In practice, there are cases of patient survival for more than 10 years from the moment of diagnosis of the oncological process. Peripheral handicap has its own characteristics in the form of prolonged development and protracted pain response. This form of cancer, even when it reaches the fourth stage of development, does not particularly affect the patient’s condition and does not cause pain, but in very advanced forms pain syndrome may develop due to metastases in other organs, and the disease ends in death.

Low chances always accompany the central form of cancer. People diagnosed with this form live no more than 3-4 years. The tumor is very dangerous, especially at stages 3-4 of development, and is characterized by high pain syndrome and metastasis.

Treatment

Surgery is the treatment of lung cancer using surgery, which consists of two methods: radical or palliative treatment. Before drawing conclusions about the need and type of surgery, doctors must hold more than one meeting regarding each patient individually.

Radical treatment of lung cancer is carried out in the form of complete removal of all affected tissues and organs: these can be lobes of the lung, lymph nodes, foci of metastasis, organs into which the tumor has grown.

Palliative surgery (carried out in cases where it is inappropriate to use a radical method, or for certain indications) - this technique consists of removing the tumor site and organs and lymph nodes within reach. Distant metastases are not affected; additional treatment methods are used for them.

If surgery is not possible, lung cancer is treated with radiation or chemotherapy. The purpose of each of them is purely individual for each patient; after examination by an oncologist, all the characteristics of the disease in a particular person are taken into account and a treatment plan is drawn up.

Prevention of lung cancer

To prevent and reduce the risk of an oncological process, the first doctor’s recommendations always revolve around lifestyle, namely quitting smoking; this applies to adults over 50 years of age to a greater extent. It is also necessary to choose normal working conditions, or take self-protection measures in hazardous industries. In order to detect the early stages of pathologies in the lungs, it is necessary to regularly undergo fluorographic examination, since lung pathologies are serious problems for the body and people with them do not live long.

Signs of lung cancer in adults

Symptoms of lung cancer in adults should be roughly divided into those characteristic of women and men. This will allow you to understand the presented condition in much more detail, determine its stages, the moment of the addition of metastases and other negative processes.

Symptoms in men - beginning

In the initial stages, when lung cancer is just developing, a man is faced with the first symptom, which is a cough. Such urges are characterized by causeless formation and significant duration. At the same time, if a person has a nicotine addiction, he does not pay attention to the presented signs, considering them normal in terms of health.

At the initial stage, manifestations are accompanied by hoarseness - temporary or permanent, shortness of breath, as well as often developing pneumonia or bronchitis.

If you do not pay attention to the presented manifestations in time, the disease will move to the next stage and will be associated with much more pronounced symptoms in males.

Next stages

The symptoms associated with the process in the lungs in men, at later stages of development, indicate the germination of a malignant neoplasm into nearby internal organs and tissue structures. Considering the aggressiveness of this process and the activity of its development, the manifestations turn out to be much more pronounced than at the primary stage. This is about:

• painful sensations in the shoulder area, which are formed due to damage to nerve endings;
• paralysis of the ligaments and, as a result, a change in voice or its complete absence;
• worsened swallowing associated with the penetration of cancer cells into the esophageal walls.

An even more pronounced symptom indicating oncology should be considered an abscess of the represented area. This condition may be associated with dramatic changes in well-being, respiratory process and other life support functions.

Symptoms in males that indicate cancer are painful sensations in organs adjacent to the pulmonary parenchyma. Their formation is decisively influenced by the spread and increase in the number of metastases. An equally important manifestation of the pathological condition should be considered a change in the size of those lymph nodes that are located above the collarbone.

Nonspecific manifestations

When talking about the symptoms that relate to nonspecific manifestations of lung cancer in males, it is necessary to note sudden weight loss. It is associated with deterioration of the gastrointestinal tract, changes in taste preferences or a persistent lack of appetite. Manifestations of the disease may include unexplained weakness and increased fatigue.

In addition, cancer can be associated with frequent mood swings and depression. The presented manifestations of cancer in males should be classified as the fourth stage of the disease, the manifestations of which are the most nonspecific, because they can depend on a significant number of factors. These include the age of the patient, the absence or presence of complications or chronic diseases. All this modifies the characteristics, making them different from each other each time. It is equally important to pay attention to what signs of the disease develop in women.

Symptoms in women - beginning

At the initial stage of the formation of the pathological condition, female representatives exhibit the following symptoms of the disease, the first place among which is lethargy, apathy, decreased vitality, weight loss and lack of appetite.

No less rare symptoms of the disease include:

• coughing, which at first is rare and dry, that is, not productive, and then, with subsequent development, turns out to be paroxysmal, exhausting, with significant release of sputum and other fluids;
• shortness of breath, which develops even with minor exertion or at rest at the last stage associated with cancer;
• hemoptysis, which manifests itself randomly without any influence from external conditions.

Symptoms of the initial stage of cancer of the pulmonary parenchyma can manifest themselves in fever and an increase in body temperature. At later stages, the manifestations are much more pronounced.

Next stages

Symptoms of lung cancer in females, which are characteristic of later stages of the disease, include hoarseness and voice changes.

This indicates that malignant tumors are growing and beginning to put pressure on the throat and vocal cords. Therefore, painful sensations are formed, which many women ignore, which significantly aggravates lung cancer and its course.

Other signs of cancer are an increase in the size of the lymph nodes and the formation of jaundice. The latter indicates the germination of metastases in the liver area. One of the most dangerous symptoms should be considered bone fragility, which leads to frequent closed, open and compression fractures of the extremities.

Further, swelling in the neck, upper body and face joins the symptoms of cancer. All this indicates that the lymph nodes are enlarged and the main blood vessel is blocked. Oncologists call additional manifestations associated with lung cancer:

• dull and gray complexion, or, conversely, what occurs with liver damage - yellow color of the proteins and skin;
• subcutaneous increase in the size of veins in the sternum;
• a progressive inflammatory process in the area of ​​the axillary and supraclavicular lymph nodes.

It is simply impossible not to pay attention to the presented symptoms indicating lung cancer. However, treatment in the presented situation will already be fraught with great difficulties and will be lengthy.

Nonspecific manifestations

Speaking about nonspecific signs of cancer in women, it is necessary to note a significant deterioration of the general condition, which is provoked by the increase and the beginning of germination of tumors in the liver area. This can also affect the skeletal system, brain and kidneys. Nonspecific manifestations are the following: neurological disorders and obstructive jaundice.

In addition, the woman is faced with a forced heart rate, painful sensations in the bones and difficulty moving food into the esophagus. To better understand the symptoms, you need to contact an oncologist who will prescribe the appropriate diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

The symptoms associated with lung cancer in adults are not always easy to identify. The most complex process is presented at an early stage of the development of the disease, but manifestations of later stages require much more complex and lengthy treatment. Therefore, when the first unpleasant manifestations form, it is recommended to contact an oncologist as early as possible.

Carcinoma is a malignant neoplasm that affects the tissues of various organs and systems. Initially, a cancerous tumor forms from the epithelium, but then quickly grows into nearby membranes.

Lung carcinoma is an oncological disease in which the tumor is formed from the cells of the bronchial mucosa, alveoli or bronchial glands. Depending on the origin, there are two main types of neoplasms: pneumogenic and bronchogenic cancer. Due to its rather mild course in the initial stages of development, lung oncology is characterized by late diagnosis and, as a result, a high percentage of deaths, reaching 65-75% of the total number of patients.

Attention! Modern methods of therapy can successfully cure lung cancer at stages I-III of the disease. For this purpose, cytostatics, radiation exposure, cytokine therapy and other medicinal and instrumental techniques are used.

It is also necessary to distinguish cancerous tumors from benign ones. Often the need to carry out differential diagnosis of pathology leads to a delay in making an accurate diagnosis.

Characteristics of neoplasms

Symptoms for this disease can vary significantly. This depends both on the stage of tumor development and on its origin and location. There are several types of lung cancer. Squamous cell carcinoma is characterized by slow development and a relatively non-aggressive course. Undifferentiated squamous cell carcinoma develops faster and produces large metastases. The most malignant is small cell carcinoma. Its main danger is the erased flow and rapid growth. This form of oncology has the most unfavorable prognosis.

Unlike tuberculosis, which most often affects the lower lobes of the lungs, cancer in 65% of cases is localized in the upper respiratory organs. Only in 25% and 10% are carcinomas detected in the lower and middle segments. This arrangement of neoplasms in this case is explained by active air exchange in the upper lobes of the lungs and the deposition of various carcinogenic particles, dust, chemicals, etc. on the alveolar tissue.

Lung carcinomas are classified depending on the severity of the disease symptoms and spread. There are three main phases in the development of pathology:

1. Biological phase. Includes the moment from the onset of tumor formation to the appearance of its first signs on a tomogram or radiograph.
2. Asymptomatic phase. At this stage, the neoplasm can be detected using instrumental diagnostics, but the patient’s clinical symptoms have not yet manifested.
3. The clinical phase, during which the patient begins to be bothered by the first signs of pathology.

Attention! During the first two stages of tumor formation, the patient does not complain of poor health. During this period, it is possible to establish a diagnosis only during a preventive examination.

It is also necessary to distinguish between four main stages of development of the oncological process in the lungs:

1. Stage I: a single neoplasm does not exceed 30 mm in diameter, there are no metastases, the patient may only be bothered by an occasional cough.
2. Stage II: the tumor reaches 60 mm and can metastasize to the nearest lymph nodes. The patient complains of discomfort in the chest, slight shortness of breath, and cough. In some cases, low-grade fever is observed due to inflammation of the lymph nodes.
3. Stage III: the diameter of the tumor exceeds 60 mm, and tumor growth into the lumen of the main bronchus is possible. The patient experiences shortness of breath on exertion, chest pain, and a cough with bloody sputum.
4. Stage IV: carcinoma grows beyond the affected lung, various organs and distant lymph nodes are involved in the pathological process.

The first symptoms of lung carcinoma

For some period of time, the pathology develops hidden. The patient does not experience any specific symptoms suggestive of a tumor in the lungs. The development of carcinoma can occur many times faster in the presence of certain provoking factors:

• living in environmentally unfavorable areas;
• work in hazardous industries;
• poisoning by chemical vapors;
• smoking;
• genetic predisposition;
• past viral and bacterial infections.

Initially, the pathology manifests itself as an inflammatory disease of the respiratory system. In most cases, the patient is mistakenly diagnosed with bronchitis. The patient complains of a periodically occurring dry cough. Also, people in the early stages of lung cancer experience the following symptoms:

• fatigue, drowsiness;
• decreased appetite;
• dry skin and mucous membranes;
• slight hyperthermia up to 37.2-37.5;
• hyperhidrosis;
• decreased performance, emotional instability;
• bad breath when exhaling.

Attention! The lung tissue itself does not have sensory endings. Therefore, when cancer develops, the patient may not experience pain for a fairly long period.

Symptoms of lung carcinoma

In the early stages, it is often possible to stop the spread of the tumor using radical resection. However, due to the vagueness of the symptoms, it is possible to identify pathology at stages I-II in a fairly small percentage of cases.

Pronounced characteristic clinical manifestations of pathology can usually be recorded when the process moves to the stage of metastasis. Manifestations of pathologies can be varied and depend on three main factors:

• clinical and anatomical form of carcinoma;
• the presence of metastases in distant organs and lymph nodes;
• disturbances in the functioning of the body caused by paraneoplastic syndromes.

In the pathological anatomy of tumor processes in the lungs, two types of tumors are distinguished: central and peripheral. Each of them has specific symptoms.

Central carcinoma is characterized by:

• wet, debilitating cough;
• discharge of sputum with inclusions of blood;
• severe shortness of breath;
• hyperthermia, fever and chills.

With peripheral oncology, the patient has:

• soreness in the chest area;
• dry non-productive cough;
• shortness of breath and wheezing in the chest;
• acute intoxication in case of carcinoma disintegration.

Attention! At the initial stages of pathology, the symptoms of peripheral and central lung cancer differ, but as the oncology progresses, the manifestations of the disease become more and more similar.

The earliest symptom of lung carcinoma is cough. It occurs due to irritation of the nerve endings of the bronchi and the formation of excess mucus. Initially, patients experience a dry cough that worsens with exercise. As the tumor grows, sputum appears, which is first mucous and then purulent and bloody in nature.

Shortness of breath occurs at fairly early stages and appears due to excess mucus in the respiratory tract. For the same reason, patients develop stridor - strained wheezing. During percussion, moist rales and squelching are heard in the lungs. As the tumor grows, if it blocks the lumen of the bronchus, shortness of breath is observed even at rest and quickly intensifies.

Pain syndrome occurs in the later stages of oncology when carcinoma grows into the tissue of the bronchial tree or surrounding lung tissue. Also, unpleasant sensations during respiratory movements can disturb the patient due to the addition of secondary infections to the disease.

Gradually, the growth of the tumor and the spread of metastases provoke compression of the esophagus, disruption of the integrity of the tissue of the ribs, vertebrae and sternum. In this case, the patient experiences chest and back pain that is constant and dull. There may be difficulty swallowing, and a burning sensation may occur in the esophagus.

Lung cancer is most dangerous due to the rapid growth of metastases in large vessels and the heart. This pathology leads to attacks of angina pectoris, intense cardiac shortness of breath, and impaired blood flow in the body. During examination, the patient has arrhythmia, tachycardia, and areas of ischemia are identified.

Paraneoplastic syndromes

Paraneoplastic syndrome is a manifestation of the pathological effect of a malignant neoplasm on the body. It develops as a result of tumor growth and is manifested by various nonspecific reactions on the part of organs and systems.

Attention! In most cases, such manifestations of the disease occur in patients at stages III-IV of carcinoma development. However, in children, elderly people and patients with poor health, paraneoplastic syndrome can occur at earlier stages of tumor formation.

Systemic syndromes

Systemic paraneoplastic syndromes are manifested by large-scale damage to the body, which affects various organs and systems. The most common manifestations of lung cancer are the following:

1. Cachexia is a depletion of the body's resources. It manifests itself as a rapid decrease in body weight, which is accompanied by a weakening of the nervous and muscular systems. Cachexia is caused by metabolic disorders and a lack of oxygen and nutrients in the tissues. Cancer cachexia has a detrimental effect on the functioning of the entire body, gradually causing disturbances in the functioning of various organs that are incompatible with life. To date, exhaustion is the cause of approximately 35% of deaths in patients with cancer of the respiratory tract. The main reason for the development of cachexia is general intoxication of the body during the breakdown of tumor products.
2. Systemic lupus erythematosus is a pathology of the immune system, causing a reaction of autoaggression by T and B lymphocytes and the formation of antibodies to the patient’s own cells. The development of lupus can be caused by exposure of the patient to a growing tumor and metastases, taking cytostatic drugs, or penetration of various bacteria and viruses into the tissue. Manifested by damage to blood vessels and connective tissue. The patient develops a rash on the nose and cheeks, peeling of the skin, trophic ulcers, and impaired blood flow in the vessels of the extremities.

   

3. Orthostatic hypotension is a pathological syndrome that manifests itself with a sharp decrease in blood pressure if the patient tries to take an upright position. The decrease in indicators is more than 20 mm Hg. Art. The disease is caused by disruption of normal blood flow in the human body and oxygen deficiency in tissues and organs, including the brain.
4. Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis is a pathology also called cachetic endocarditis. This disorder develops in people with cancer due to the deposition of proteins and platelets on the valves of the heart and blood vessels. Such disturbances lead to thrombosis and severe disruption of the circulatory system.

Attention! Systemic syndromes must be treated carefully and urgently. Otherwise, they can sharply worsen the patient’s condition and lead to his death.

Video - Lung cancer: first symptoms

Skin syndromes

Skin lesions develop for several reasons. The most common factor that provokes the appearance of various pathologies of the epidermis is the toxic effect of malignant neoplasms and cytostatic drugs on the human body. All this weakens the body’s protective functions and allows various fungi, bacteria and viruses to infect the patient’s skin and epithelium.

Patients with lung carcinoma experience the following syndromes:

• hypertrichosis – excessive hair growth throughout the body;
• dermatomyositis – inflammatory pathology of connective tissue;
• acanthosis - roughening of the skin at the site of the lesion;

• hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy - a lesion leading to deformation of bones and joints;
• vasculitis is a secondary inflammation of blood vessels.

Hematological syndromes

Circulatory disorders in patients with cancer develop quite quickly and can appear already at stages I-II of the pathology. This is caused by the sharp negative impact of carcinoma on the functioning of the hematopoietic organs and disruption of the full functioning of the lungs, which causes oxygen starvation of all systems of the human body. Patients with lung cancer exhibit a number of pathological symptoms:

• thrombocytopenic purpura - increased bleeding, leading to the appearance of hemorrhages under the skin;
• anemia;

• amyloidosis – a disorder of protein metabolism;
• hypercoagulation – increased blood clotting function;
• leukemoid reaction - various changes in the leukocyte formula.

Neurological syndromes

Neurological paraneoplastic syndromes develop due to damage to the central or peripheral nervous system. They arise due to trophic disturbances or due to the growth of metastases in the spinal cord or brain, which is quite often observed in pulmonary carcinomatosis. Patients experience the following disorders:

• peripheral neuropathy – damage to the peripheral nerves leading to impaired mobility;
• Lampert–Eaton myasthenic syndrome – muscle weakness and atrophy;
• necrotizing myelopathy – necrosis of the spinal cord leading to paralysis;
• cerebral encephalopathy – brain damage;
• loss of vision.

Symptoms of stage IV oncology

In rare cases, patients seek medical help only at the stage when oncology develops into carcinomatosis and the pain becomes unbearable. Symptoms at this stage largely depend on the spread of metastases throughout the body. Today, stage IV lung cancer is extremely difficult to treat, so it is necessary to contact a specialist when the first alarming signs appear.

Attention! Carcinomatosis is multiple metastasis in cancer. With carcinomatosis, any system or the entire patient’s body can be completely affected.

In the late stages of tumor formation, a patient develops the following symptoms, indicating a disruption in the functioning of various organs and systems:

• debilitating long-lasting coughing attacks;
• secretion of sputum with blood, pus and lung decay products;
• apathy, depression;
• constant drowsiness, impaired cognitive function;
• cachexia, weight loss to critical levels: 30-50 kg;
• difficulty swallowing, vomiting;
• painful attacks of cephalalgia;
• profuse pulmonary bleeding;
• delirium, impaired consciousness;
• intense constant pain in the chest area;
• breathing problems, suffocation;
• arrhythmia, disturbance of pulse rate and filling.

Lung cancer presents with a range of different symptoms. The most characteristic warning signs of the pathology are a long-lasting cough with sputum, chest pain and wheezing when breathing. If such signs appear, you should definitely consult a pulmonologist.

Video - Lung cancer: causes and symptoms