The very first symptoms of lung cancer. Signs, symptoms, stages and treatment of lung cancer What causes lung cancer

Lungs' cancer- a common, aggressive oncological disease. Lethal outcomes in this type of cancer in terms of frequency in the world are in first place among all types of oncology, and in terms of prevalence - in second place, second only to skin cancer. You can completely get rid of the disease or at least just stop the process only in the early stages, with a timely visit to the doctor.

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Lungs' cancer- malignant degeneration developing from the epithelium of the bronchi or lungs. Bronchogenic carcinoma (the second name of the disease) is characterized by rapid development and the formation of numerous metastases already in the early stages.

Spreading

The risk group includes the entire population of large cities, smoking lovers.

Lung cancer is almost 10 times more likely to be diagnosed in men than in women, and the older the person, the greater the chance of developing the disease.

Origin of the disease

How exactly the degeneration of ordinary cells occurs in oncological science is not yet known exactly. It has been proven that this happens under the influence of chemicals - carcinogens. The degenerated cells divide non-stop, the tumor grows. When it reaches a sufficiently large size, it grows into adjacent organs (heart, stomach, spine).

Chest pain, cough, slight fever, but lung cancer ruled out. Pass, perhaps it is he who gives you trouble!

Tracheitis already exhausted? How can you cure the disease with folk remedies!

Causes of the disease

The main and only reason is cell DNA damage under the action of carcinogenic factors, namely:

• Smoking- the main factor causing up to 80% of cases. Tobacco smoke contains a huge amount of carcinogens, it also suppresses the immune system;
• radiation exposure is the second cause of cancer. Radiation harms cell genetics, causing mutations that lead to cancer;
• second hand smoke- the main cause of cancer in non-smokers;
• work in hazardous industries– coal mining, metallurgical, woodworking, asbestos-cement enterprises;
• chronic inflammation- pneumonia, transferred tuberculosis, causing damage to the tissues of the lung. The more damage - the higher the percentage of cancer;
• dusty air- with an increase in air dustiness by 1%, the risk of a tumor increases by 15%;
• viruses- According to the latest data, viruses have the ability to damage cellular DNA, which causes uncontrolled cell division.

First symptoms (signs)

The first symptoms are not characteristic and do not cause suspicion of cancer:

• Dry cough b;
• lack of appetite;
• weakness;
• weight loss;
• during the development of the disease gradually appears - purulent-mucous, with inclusions of blood;
• with tumor enlargement, reaching its neighboring organs appears shortness of breath and chest pain.

Early stage lung cancer symptoms

Symptoms at an early stage appear only with central cancer, when the tumor is located in the large bronchi:

• Cough, not passing more than 2 weeks;
• fatigue and weakness;
• intermittent slight increase in temperature for no apparent reason.

In peripheral cancer, when the tumor is located in the small bronchi or lung parenchyma, the early stage of the disease is completely asymptomatic. The only way to detect cancer is regular fluorography.

Symptoms of lung cancer in women and men are identical.

Complex of symptoms (signs) in lung cancer

• Pulmonary- cough, chest pain, hoarseness, shortness of breath;
• extrapulmonary- the temperature is slightly above 37 ° C, rapid weight loss, weakness, headache or hypochondrium;
• hormonal- high blood levels of calcium or low - sodium, skin rash, thickening of the joints of the fingers. The primary diagnosis is established in the presence of at least one symptom in each complex.

Stages of lung cancer

1 stage- the tumor is less than 3 cm. It is located within the borders of a segment of the lung or one bronchus. There are no metastases. Symptoms are difficult to discern or none at all.

2 stage- the tumor is up to 6 cm, located within the boundaries of the segment of the lung or bronchus. Solitary metastases in individual lymph nodes. Symptoms are more pronounced, there is hemoptysis, pain, weakness, loss of appetite.

3 stage- the tumor exceeds 6 cm, penetrates into other parts of the lung or neighboring bronchi. Numerous metastases. Blood in mucopurulent sputum, shortness of breath are added to the symptoms.

4 stage The tumor has grown beyond the lung. Metastases are extensive. Cancer pleurisy develops. Symptoms are pronounced, symptoms are added from neighboring affected systems (digestive, cardiovascular). This is the last, incurable stage of the disease.

Kinds

• Small cell lung cancer- the most aggressively developing, rapidly growing and giving numerous metastases in the early stages. It is rare, usually in smokers.
• squamous- the most common, develops slowly from flat epithelial cells.
• Adenocarcinoma- formed from mucous cells.
• large cell- More commonly affects women. Differs in poor prognosis, rapid death.

Diagnostics

• Radiography- in direct and lateral projection. Helps to detect blackouts, displacement of organs, size of lymph nodes;
• CT scan- gives a more detailed picture, helps in identifying small tumors;
• bronchoscopy– the ability to see the condition of the bronchi from the inside and take material for a biopsy;
• needle biopsy- produced through the skin when the tumor is located in the small bronchi;
• cancer markers- specific markers are detected in the blood or tissues. A promising, but currently not very accurate method;
• tumor biopsy– the study of the material under a microscope and the detection of cancer cells. Gives the most accurate picture of the disease.

Differential Diagnosis

Differentiation is carried out with pneumonia, benign tumors, tuberculosis, lung cysts. It is usually difficult due to lung diseases associated with cancer.

Forecast

In general, the prognosis is poor compared to other cancers. The prognosis is affected by the stage of the tumor and the presence of metastases.
A favorable prognosis in half of the cases is possible only if the cancer is at an early stage and there are no metastases.

How long do people live with lung cancer?

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

Only early diagnosis of the disease makes it possible for a cure and will allow not to die in the next 5 years.

People at risk, especially smokers, should clearly remember the first signs of the disease and regularly do fluorography.

If you find the first signs of lung cancer, as well as any ongoing lung disease, you should immediately contact a pulmonologist.

In the studio of the program “Live Healthy” the first signs of lung cancer are considered. Early diagnosis is considered the main factor for a favorable prognosis of the course of the disease.

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Unfortunately, cancer is not uncommon these days. A fairly large number of people suffer from malignant tumors. One of the most common is considered to be At an early stage, the symptoms already become pronounced, although many people do not pay due attention to them. And in vain, because the neoplasm can be defeated. Well, we should talk about this in more detail.

Important information

What is the first thing to say about lung cancer at an early stage? Many people do not perceive the symptoms of this disease as something terrible or unusual. In general, an oncological lesion of this organ is very rarely detected by chance (for example, after fluorography). Only 1/5 of all cases were detected through this procedure.

It is also worth remembering that many of the symptoms are, in fact, similar to other pathologies not related to oncology. They are often similar to those that accompany a person with tuberculosis, during acute infectious diseases (or chronic), bronchial asthma, pneumonia, or even pleurisy. So if a person feels strange, then complaints alone will not be enough. But how to detect lung cancer at an early stage? CT (computed tomography) is the way out. The procedure is expensive, but it is better than any x-ray. Still sometimes the tumor can be detected by examining the fluid from the pleural cavity. But to date, CT is the safest and most effective method.

Coughing is cause for concern

Indeed, often it can be a kind of “beacon”. Cough always accompanies lung cancer at an early stage. The symptoms vary, but this one is the main one. So, the cough is usually frequent and very debilitating. Accompanied by sputum of an unpleasant yellow-green color. If a person is in the cold for a long time or is engaged in physical labor, then the amount of these waste secretions increases.

There may also be bloody discharge when coughing. They usually have a scarlet or pink hue. Often there are clots in the sputum. Even when a person coughs, he feels severe pain both in the throat and in the chest area. Often this is a symptom of a strong virus, such as the flu, but if there are other suspicions and signs, you should not ignore it. Also, in addition to coughing, there is shortness of breath and wheezing. These are all symptoms of early stage lung cancer.

Pain and other sensations

Too fast fatigue, apathy and eternal fatigue can also accompany oncology. Significant weight loss is often observed. These lungs at an early stage are a wake-up call. It is necessary to listen to this if a person, with the same diet, suddenly began to lose weight.

General malaise is also one of the signs of the disease. Often there is an increase in body temperature, not associated with viral diseases. Often the voice of a person also changes. Hoarseness appears - this is due to the fact that the tumor touches the nerve that controls the larynx. Occurs By the way, if we talk about how to recognize lung cancer at an early stage, then, perhaps, the main answer here is the following - listen to the breath. It is important. In the initial stages, a person has to make a lot of effort to fully breathe. This is due to the fact that the neoplasm is an obstacle to the usual air flow.

Weakness

Often there is pain in the shoulder area. If the neoplasm touched the nerve endings, then sensations will appear from the side of the affected organ. Swallowing function is also disturbed - also a common sign by which lung cancer can be recognized at an early stage. Symptoms of this kind appear when the neoplasm enters the walls of the esophagus. In this case, the airways are simply blocked.

And of course, muscle weakness. Many people take it for granted - maybe from work there were severe consequences or there was an excessive power load. But often this is an alarming signal to which you need to pay attention.

What can cause cancer?

This topic should also be noted with attention, talking about how to recognize lung cancer at an early stage, the photo of which is provided above. In fact, there can be many reasons. The most common is, of course, smoking. But not only because of him a malignant neoplasm appears. There are two factors - constant (unchanging) and modifiable (that is, changing). And here the first of the listed people cannot change in any way. Firstly, this is the age of a person - more than 50 years. Secondly, genetic factors (conditioning). Thirdly, environmental pollution. Severe disruptions in the endocrine system (especially in women) and the presence of chronic lung diseases (pneumonia, etc.) can also affect. Due to these ailments, the lung tissue is deformed, scars appear on it. This often becomes an excellent "soil" for cancer.

As for smoking... Hundreds of scientists are developing this topic, they are talking about it in all the media, and all over the world they are trying to solve this problem so that as few people as possible buy cigarettes and other tobacco products. You can talk forever about the dangers of smoking and tobacco addiction. But the fact remains - in the process of absorbing tobacco smoke, harmful carcinogenic substances enter the lungs, settling on a living pale pink epithelium, which eventually becomes a dead, scorched, blue-black surface.

Oncology degrees

So, how to detect lung cancer at an early stage at home? The answer is simple - no way. Even if fluorography reveals a malignant neoplasm in only 20% of cases, then what can we say about “folk” methods.

The first stage of oncology is a small tumor, the size of which is a maximum of three centimeters. Or it is completely “screening out” from the main tumor of another organ. It is extremely difficult to detect it - only by computed tomography, which was mentioned at the very beginning.

The second stage is when the tumor is larger than 3 centimeters and blocks the bronchus. Neoplasm can grow into the pleura. In the third stage, the tumor spreads to nearby structures. Appears atelectasis of the entire lung. And the fourth stage is the germination of the tumor in nearby organs. This is the heart, large vessels. Metastatic pleurisy may occur. Unfortunately, the forecasts in this case are disappointing.

Is it really curable?

This question arises in all people who have discovered that they have cancer. All of them, regardless of the stage, hope for a positive outcome. Well, everything is possible in this life! There are people who claim that they managed to overcome cancer, and he receded. Of course, the prognosis will be much more positive if the stage is early. This form is amenable to chemotherapy and radiation treatment. In general, the recovery rate in such cases is very high. But unfortunately, if you catch on in the last stages, then the patient may have a hard time. In these cases, the survival rate is 10%.

Prevention

So, talking about how to recognize lung cancer at an early stage in adults, one cannot but touch on the topic of prevention. It is very important because it helps to fight the disease. Well, the most important thing is to quit smoking, follow a special diet and, of course, quit your job if it requires you to be in a place where there is a high content of harmful substances.

It is worth giving up spicy, fatty and fried foods and instead eating high-fiber foods, lean fish and always white meat. It would be useful to include dried fruits, nuts, cereals and natural, real chocolate in the diet.

Medical measures are extremely important. These are planned examinations and treatment. If the patient is at particular risk, then he is sometimes prescribed special drugs that replace tobacco. Due to this, the need for smoking is reduced to a minimum, but the dose of harmful nicotine is replaced by medical one. Gradually, step by step, following all the recommendations and not neglecting your health, you can get better and start enjoying life again.

Oncological diseases of the respiratory system are among the most common. They are most commonly seen in people over the age of 50. Pathological processes develop in the lungs in the peripheral sections, on the right, on the left, in the center. The symptoms of its development depend on the location and stage of the disease.

The prognosis of survival also depends on the form of neoplasm progression. At the first alarming symptoms, you should consult a doctor so that the disease does not spread further.

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  Symptoms and stages of development of pathology

  There are 2 forms of the disease: peripheral and central. Peripheral lung cancer does not have pronounced symptoms, they begin to appear only at the last stage. The central form involves damage to the lungs in places with a concentration of nerve endings, which is expressed in the appearance of the first signs:

  • cough;
  • chest pain;
  • breathing difficulties;
  • hemoptysis.

  Symptoms of a malignant tumor appear depending on the phase of its development. The process of progression of pathology takes place in 3 stages:

  1. 1. Biological- some time elapses between the onset of the tumor and the appearance of the first signs.
  2. 2. Asymptomatic course of the disease- there are no external symptoms, pathological changes are visible only on an x-ray.
  3. 3. Clinical- characterized by the appearance of obvious signs of pathology.

  

  lung cancer picture

  External symptoms of the disease are absent in the first and second stages. Even when the pathology develops to such an extent that it becomes visible on an x-ray (pictured), a person does not feel any special changes in the state of health, there is no increase in temperature, despite the fact that the process has already been started. Doctors explain this as follows: there are no nerve nodes in the organs of the respiratory system. Painful sensations occur only with a neglected form of pathology. That is why the diagnosis of the disease at an early stage is almost impossible.

  

  First signs

  At the second and third stages of the development of oncology, the first signs appear. They can be mistaken for manifestations of chronic pulmonary diseases.

  Nonspecific symptoms of lung cancer in adults include:

  • weight loss
  • lethargy;
  • loss of appetite;
  • decrease in working capacity;
  • pallor of the skin.

  As the cancer develops, symptoms become similar to those of bronchitis, pneumonia, and the common cold. The disease proceeds with a temperature of up to 37-38 degrees. The patient becomes restless, hyperthermia lasts for a long time. A person begins to take antipyretic drugs or traditional medicine. The fever recedes for a couple of days, and then comes back again.

  The patient begins to feel a decrease in vitality, feels tired. All work and labor affairs are carried out through force. It is not excluded the occurrence of depression, loss of interest in the outside world and favorite activities. To all this is added apathy, lethargy.

  Characteristic signs of pathology begin to develop at the last stage. The progression of the disease is evidenced by extrapulmonary symptoms that occur due to metastasis. These manifestations include:

  • back pain;
  • kidney disease;
  • digestive tract disorders.

  

  Cough as a sign of cancer

  This symptom can disturb the patient extremely rarely, but then it intensifies and becomes paroxysmal. Cough with lung cancer is:

  • short, frequent;
  • strong, rolling attacks, bringing the patient to fainting;
  • dry, and when a person coughs, there is no relief.

  Cough with a peripheral form of pathology may not be observed. If it is present and does not pass for more than a month, the cause is lung cancer.

  

  Excretion of blood and sputum

  If sputum is secreted when coughing, then this may be a sign of the pathology in question. This is mucus that accumulates in the last stage of the disease in an amount up to 1/5 liter per day. Allocations in the advanced stage of oncology are similar to a purulent-mucous mixture of bright red color with a jelly-like consistency.

  There may be wheezing in hemoptysis and lungs. Blood may be splattered or appear as pink foam. Cough, characterized by the release of blood, is often referred to as an infectious disease, such as tuberculosis. But it is a symptom of cancer.

  To determine the exact cause of coughing up blood, a procedure called bronchoscopy is prescribed. If the diagnosis is confirmed, then a similar symptom does not leave the patient throughout life.

  In the advanced stage of the disease, pulmonary bleeding is not excluded. A cancer patient will spit out blood that fills the entire mouth. In this case, urgent medical attention is required.

  Pain in oncology

  Pain in cancerous tumors does not always occur at the site of their appearance. When the intercostal nerves are involved in the process, the discomfort manifests itself especially strongly, and is not eliminated by painkillers. Pain is of three types:

  • shingles;
  • stabbing;
  • cutting.

  Metastases in cancer occur in the pre-mortem period. Unhealthy cells are carried throughout the body through the blood, so a person feels pain in the following places:

  • lower limbs;
  • back
  • hands;
  • digestive organs;
  • shoulders.

  When pain occurs, changes occur in the appearance of a person: the face becomes gray, yellowing of the proteins and skin is observed. Large areas of swelling may occur, and the neck and face look swollen. Pigmented spots appear in the chest area, which hurt when touched.

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

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

The reasons

Before understanding 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 formation 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 the age of 75. In adolescents, the disease is rare.
2. Floor. For every 5 adult men diagnosed with lung cancer, there is 1 woman. With aging, the proportions change 8 to 1.
3. genetic predisposition.
4. Long history of smoking and a large number of cigarettes smoked per day.
5. Can cause lung cancer in 20% of cases second hand smoke.
6. Work in radon mines. Signs of the disease in such people are observed more often than in heavy smokers.
7. Work in hazardous working conditions.
8. Chronic diseases of the pulmonary system: tuberculosis, bronchitis, asthma, lung destruction.
9. Radiation exposure.

Symptoms

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

Often, early stage lung cancer goes away without symptoms, making it difficult to recognize the disease.

In lung cancer, the manifestations of the disease are manifested in the following:

• A slight temperature in the range of 37.1-37.3 degrees;
• Dizziness and feeling unwell, which provokes intoxication of the body;
• Increased weakness fatigue;
• Reduced performance;
• Severe sweating at rest or with minor physical exertion;
• Patients 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, cough may not be;
• There are functional disorders of the nervous system;
• Depression appears;
• Insomnia;
• Elderly people can develop dementia, the character changes greatly.

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

The main symptoms that indicate the disease appear when the tumor captures a certain area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe lung and begins to actively destroy healthy tissues of the organ.

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

• A long, dry cough is the first and main symptom of lung cancer. Most often, painful bouts of coughing disturb the patient at night. Many patients mistake it for a smoker's cough;
• As the disease progresses with a cough, sputum begins to stand out, which resembles pus or thick mucus;
• The sputum has an unpleasant odor;
• Over time, hemoptysis begins, due to the destruction of the vessels by the tumor. It is sputum with blood that alerts the patient, and he turns to the doctor;
• There is pain in the chest, as the tumor captures the pleura. Pain can be aching or sharp, disturb constantly or during physical exertion;
• Shortness of breath appears;
• The temperature may fluctuate during the day. At the same time, the doctor does not find colds;
• Possible increase in body weight;
• Pink stripes may appear on the skin;
• Anorexia may also be observed;
• The patient is concerned about vomiting and nausea, in which blood may be present;
• Vision is impaired;
• The patient is diagnosed with osteoporosis;
• There is swelling of the neck;
• Subcutaneous veins begin to protrude;
• Hoarseness of voice;
• bone pain;
• Change in skin color;
• The patient has difficulty swallowing food.

Symptoms in men and women are generally the same. 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 state of the organs during the growth of formations.

To choose the right treatment, it is important to know what types of lung cancer exist, their external features and how this or that form proceeds.

Central

This type of disease affects the large bronchi.

The growth begins inside, then captures 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 do not progress yet, the 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 with the help of diagnostic procedures.

Small bronchial tubes are affected.

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

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

The following factors can provoke growth:

• Viral diseases;
• Pneumonia;
• Physiotherapy;
• Decreased immunity;
• Solarium visit.

With this type of disease in men and women, there are no different symptoms. They are similar in their manifestations.

You can find out the progression of the disease by shortness of breath, about paroxysmal pain, hemoptysis.

small cell

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

In 25% of patients put this type of disease. Most often this form of cancer affects men.

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

The main features are:

• The appearance of a cough;
• Excretion of sputum with blood;
• hoarse voice;
• Back pain.

The illness may be accompanied by fever.

Diagnostics

Treatment can be beneficial 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. With its help, the state of the pulmonary system is determined.

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

With tuberculosis, signs and formations are similar to peripheral cancer.

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

Illness is defined using computed tomography . This procedure will help to detect nodes, determine the stage of cancer, the size of the tumor, its localization, the presence of the smallest metastases, the condition of the lamp nodes.

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

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

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Treatment

Treatment can have a favorable prognosis if the disease can be diagnosed at an early stage.

The following methods are used:

• Anticancer treatment;
• chemotherapy;
• radiation therapy;
• Preventive measures to prevent relapse.

With a large size of the formation and the presence of metastases, a surgical operation is performed. Self-medication at home is strictly prohibited.

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

What it is? Lung cancer (bronchogenic carcinoma) is a malignant tumor that develops from the bronchial epithelium. The disease is based on uncontrolled reproduction and growth of malignant cells, dysfunction of the respiratory system and intoxication of the body with tumor decay products.

Depending on the localization of the focus of the disease, three forms of lung cancer are distinguished:

• Central (affecting the central sections of the bronchi);
• Peripheral (developing from epithelial tissues of secondary bronchi, alveoli and bronchioles);
• Mixed (combining the signs of both pathologies).

In 92% of cases Tobacco smoking (including passive smoking) becomes a factor provoking the development of lung cancer. Cigarette smoke contains up to 4100 substances, 69 of which are recognized as carcinogens. During smoking, carcinogenic compounds cause irreversible damage to the genetic apparatus of cells, provoking their mutation and malignancy.

Risk factors that provoke the occurrence of bronchogenic carcinoma in non-smokers:

• Unfavorable heredity;
• Infections affecting the lungs and bronchi (in the absence of adequate therapy);
• Pollution of soil, air and water with exhaust gases, waste from enterprises, carcinogens and other harmful compounds;
• Frequent contact with heavy metals, pesticides, oil products;
• Increased radiation background;
• A number of viral diseases (cytomegalovirus, human papillomavirus, etc.);
• Prolonged stay in dusty rooms.

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The first symptoms of lung cancer, symptoms

The clinical picture in bronchogenic carcinoma depends on the location and stage of development of the tumor process. However, there are three groups of symptoms and signs typical of all forms of lung cancer: local (primary), secondary and general.

The leading diagnostic value is the local symptomatology, which manifests itself in the early stages of the development of the disease. The first symptoms of lung cancer appear when the lumen of the bronchi is closed by a tumor and include:

• cough;
• shortness of breath
• pain in the chest;
• hemoptysis;
• temperature rise.

Table 1 - The first symptoms of lung cancer

General symptoms manifest themselves against the background of tumor intoxication of the body. The patient experiences severe weakness, quickly gets tired, becomes irritable, depressed, loses appetite and rapidly loses weight. General signs of lung cancer are nonspecific and can appear at any stage of the pathological process.

The appearance of secondary signs indicates the defeat of distant organs by metastases or the development of concomitant pathologies. The clinical picture of the disease is supplemented by:

• significant increase in pain syndrome;
• an increase in temperature to critical limits;
• cancer cachexia (exhaustion, almost complete refusal of food);
• pleurisy (accumulation of fluid in the lungs);
• ascites (accumulation of fluid in the peritoneum);
• anemia (anemia);
• respiratory failure;
• stupor (a state of drowsiness, torpor, severe lethargy).

These symptoms are manifested in stage 4 lung cancer, including before the death of the patient.

Depending on the size of the tumor formations, the degree of their germination in the adjacent tissues and the presence of metastases, 4 stages of lung cancer are distinguished.

Stage I bronchogenic carcinoma is diagnosed when tumors up to 30 mm in size are localized within the segmental bronchus or in one pulmonary segment. In this case, there is no metastasis, and the lymph nodes and pleura are not involved in the pathological process.

Stage II lung cancer is diagnosed when a tumor less than 60 mm in size is localized in the segmental bronchus or in one lung segment. The clinical picture of the disease is complemented by metastasis to bronchopulmonary and pulmonary lymph nodes.

Bronchogenic carcinoma of the III degree is diagnosed when a tumor neoplasm larger than 60 mm in size is detected, growing into the adjacent or main bronchus, spreading to the adjacent lung lobe. Metastases are detected in the paratracheal, bifurcation and tracheobronchial lymph nodes.

Stage IV lung cancer is characterized by the exit of the tumor formation beyond the lung tissues, the addition of pericarditis or pleurisy. The clinical picture is complemented by extensive metastasis.

Metastases in lung cancer

There are three ways of metastasis of bronchogenic carcinoma:

• lymphogenous (to regional lymph nodes through the lymphatic vessels);
• hematogenous (into the internal organs through the blood vessels);
• implantation (transfer of cancer cells through the pleura).

Treatment of lung cancer, drugs and methods

A comprehensive lung cancer treatment program includes four areas: surgery, chemotherapy, palliative care and radiation therapy.

Surgery

Surgery is the most effective way to treat bronchogenic carcinoma detected at stage I or II. Patients with advanced lung cancer are considered inoperable. This group also includes people suffering from severe heart disease, renal or hepatic insufficiency, who have reached old age.

As part of the surgical treatment of bronchogenic cancer, the following types of operations are performed:

• pulmonectomy (removal of the entire lung);
• lobectomy (removal of the entire lung lobe);
• partial resection (excision) of the lung;
• combined surgical interventions (removal of the affected lung and adjacent tissues, internal organs, lymphatic vessels and nodes).

Timely surgical intervention allows 50% of patients to avoid relapses for 3 years after surgery and achieve five-year survival in 30% of operated patients.

Radiation therapy

Radiation therapy involves exposure of cancer cells to ionizing radiation. There are three ways to apply this technique:

• Remote (irradiation of the tumor from the outside with the help of special installations);
• Contact (introduction of a radiation source into the affected organ);
• Stereotactic (high-precision delivery of a radiation dose to a tumor formation, bypassing healthy tissues using a cyber-knife and other high-tech medical accelerators).

Radiation therapy is carried out in the treatment of small tumors, metastases and inoperable types of cancer.

In addition, the ionizing effect on cancer cells is included in the surgical treatment regimen as an auxiliary procedure that can slow down the growth of a tumor formation or reduce its size.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is an auxiliary method for the treatment of lung cancer, which involves taking drugs that can affect the processes of cancer cell division and tumor growth (doxorubicin, methotrexate, docetaxel, cisplatin, gemcitabine, etc.).

Medicines are taken in courses, the number of which depends on the stage, form of the disease and the patient's condition.

Palliative care

Palliative therapy for bronchogenic carcinoma is aimed at improving the quality and life expectancy of terminally ill people. The treatment regimen includes:

The program of palliative therapy is made individually, taking into account the patient's condition and his needs.

The answer to the question of how long they live with bronchogenic carcinoma should begin with the following fact: for 87% of patients, life expectancy with untreated stage 4 lung cancer does not exceed 2 years. Conducting complex therapy significantly increases the chances of survival.

Table 2 - Five-year survival rates after complex treatment of lung cancer

The presence of metastases worsens the prognosis of the disease.

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