Lung cancer is among the most insidious and deadly cancers in the world. While experts draw attention to symptoms such as long-lasting and changing cough, weight loss, shortness of breath, chest pain, and bloody sputum, they emphasize that treatments must be planned individually. So who are the people most at risk for lung cancer? What are the must-know things for early diagnosis? Thoracic Surgery Specialists explained.
Patients do not pay attention to the cough until blood comes out of the sputum. They usually take it seriously when they see blood. However, it should be investigated whether the cough is related to the heart or the lungs. Bleeding in sputum or producing very dirty sputum can also be another symptom of lung cancer. On the other hand, lung cancer can cause a wide variety of clinical symptoms, but we can list the most common symptoms in order of frequency as follows.
Cough that lasts and changes in character, weight loss, shortness of breath, chest pain, hemoptysis (bloody sputum), localized pain in the bones, hoarseness, clubbing of the fingers, fever, weakness, vena cava superior syndrome (VCSS-facial and swelling in the neck), dysphagia (difficulty in swallowing). In addition, the deterioration of environmental factors day by day, increase in air pollution, and the promotion of tobacco and tobacco products increase lung cancer rates[1].
The most risky group in terms of lung cancer: These people should definitely take precautions early!
In order to detect lung cancer at an early stage, a conscious and personalized checkup must be performed, and this must be done with a lung x-ray and low-dose lung tomography. Especially people over the age of 40 who have been using tobacco and tobacco products for a long time and those with a family history of lung cancer must be under regular physician supervision. Since they are at risk, low-dose lung tomography is definitely recommended for these people.
If a very small lesion is detected, we usually define it as a nodule in the lung, and we follow the lung with low-dose tomography every 3 months or every 6 months, depending on the situation. But low-dose tomography is of great importance because patients are exposed to radiation. Even if the tomography is performed without medication, the patient receives radiation.
There is an international formula that guides us in early diagnosis. Although this method is not 100 percent, it gives us an idea. When pathology is detected in the film, smoking and age are also taken into consideration. PET CT may also be recommended to detect distressing conditions early. Diagnosis of the lesion may take a process that includes biopsy. If it is suitable for surgery, surgical treatment should definitely be preferred.
Treatment should be personalized
Lung cancer should always be individualized. Surgical treatment and post-surgical oncological treatments are planned individually. Although these treatments seem standard, there are some factors specific to the individual. To list these factors; The stage of lung cancer, the cell type of the cancer (surgical treatment of small cell lung cancer is very limited), the status of molecular genetic tests, the performance of the person (situations such as the person’s diet and living conditions, the person’s psychology). In recent years, minimally invasive methods (surgeries performed through small incisions) have been preferred in thoracic surgery, as in all surgical branches.
These are videothoracoscopic (VATS) and robotic (RATS) surgeries[2, 3]. However, what should be known here is that no matter which method is used for surgery, the success of cancer treatment is to completely clear the cancer. The biggest advantage of Minimally Invasive surgeries is that it minimizes complications. On the other hand, the patient feels less pain after the surgery and the duration of hospital stay is reduced. Even if oncological treatment is required, the response of these patients to treatment is more successful.
Beware of vein occlusions in lung cancer patients!
We frequently encounter vein occlusions in patients with lung cancer[4]. Cancer patients may experience problems in their veins due to structural disorders in their blood and tendency to clot. Therefore, complaints such as swelling and pain in the legs should be taken into consideration.
This condition, called deep vein thrombosis, can cause pulmonary embolism and have life-threatening consequences if precautions are not taken in time. Therefore, precautions should be taken early. Patients diagnosed with lung cancer experience venous occlusions during surgery, after surgery, and even in patients who cannot undergo surgery.
Even if patients do not die from cancer, they may die from venous clotting. These clottings must be treated with medical treatment under the supervision of a physician. Treatment options include oral medications, especially blood thinners, injections into the skin, intravenous blood thinners and anti-embolic stockings. In rare cases, a filter is placed in the main vein.