Diagnosing Lung Cancer For Successful Treatments

Prior to treatment of any medical condition, there must first be a diagnosis and in the instance of lung cancer, there are numerous tools available to assist in diagnosis of the condition. Once a diagnosis has been completed, the stage of the lung cancer must then be determined in order to effectively choose a treatment option - this is known as "staging."

It is usually the case that a patient discovers an abnormality as a result of a routine x-ray check-up or as a consequence of symptoms appearing which cause them to seek medical advice. Typical symptoms include a persistent cough or the production of blood when coughing, but it is important to remember that there are other causes aside from lung cancer which may produce these symptoms.

To confirm what an abnormality is, your medical team will call on some or all of the following diagnostic techniques:

CT Scan - CT stands for "Computed Tomography" and uses x-rays to provide a detailed picture of your anatomy. There is no surgery involved and the procedure is completely free of pain.

PET Scan - PET stands for "Positive Emission Tomography" and is another non-invasive diagnostic tool which provides a detailed representation of the abnormality and an indication as to whether it is malignant or not. Cancer tumors use a lot of energy, in medical terms they demonstrate high rates of metabolic activity and this requires a lot of nutrition in the form of sugars. By injecting into the patient a glucose solution which is laced with a mildly radioactive marker, the PET Scan is able to highlight where the glucose solution is being concentrated - this provides an outline of the extent of the abnormality and as the lungs are mostly air (which has no metabolism), it provides a precise location of the tumor. You should be aware that a positive result from a PET Scan is not conclusive evidence of cancer because other conditions can create high metabolic activity which will show up on the PET Scan, for instance, inflammation of the lung tissues.

Bronchoscopy - tissue samples or swabs of the major airways can be taken by inserting a flexible tube containing optical fibers and a camera. The tube is inserted either through the nose or mouth and can be mildly discomforting for patients but requires no surgery. The tissue samples collected can then be analyzed in the pathology lab to confirm or rule out cancer.

Needle Biopsy - by using a CT scan to target the general area of the abnormality, a surgeon can insert a needle into the affected area of the lung and remove a tissue sample. Again, the sample can be tested to confirm or discount the presence of cancer in the patient.

Surgical Biopsy - if the abnormality is small or located in an inaccessible part of the lungs then a needle biopsy may not be appropriate and surgery may be required. The surgeon makes two small incisions and using specialist instruments is able to remove a portion of the lung containing the affected tissue. The sample is then analyzed to confirm the diagnosis.

Find the right doctor for lung cancer treatments or mitral valve repair. Early diagnosis can lead to successful results.

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