Lung cancer is one of the most deadly forms of cancer, often resulting in a grim prognosis if not caught early. With millions of people being affected by it annually, it's essential to know how lung cancer is detected. Early detection and lung cancer diagnosis can majorly increase your chances of surviving this severe disease.
In this article, we will discuss some common methods used to detect lung cancer.
Diagnosis of Lung Cancer
If a person is suffering from a persistent cough with breathlessness without any infection, then the healthcare provider may recommend the following tests and procedures for lung cancer diagnosis:
- Imaging tests: An abnormal growth or small nodule can be detected using a chest X-ray. In some cases, when the lesion is very small, an X-ray cannot detect the lesion. In such cases, a computed tomography (CT) scan is used.
- Cytological analysis of the sputum sample: persistent cough is one of the symptoms of lung cancer. Microscopic analysis of the sputum produced by the diseased person can provide important information about the lung cancer cells present in the sputum sample.
- Lung tissue biopsy: In a biopsy, a small sample of the abnormal cells present in the lungs is removed and sent to laboratories for analysis. A biopsy can be done in different ways, as mentioned below:
- Bronchoscopy: In this procedure, a bronchoscope (a slim tube with a camera at one end) is inserted through the nose or mouth into the airways. The healthcare provider may look into the abnormal mass present in the lungs and remove it.
- Mediastinoscopy: In this procedure, the doctor makes a cut at the bottom of the neck. Through this cut, a thin tube with a camera is inserted in the chest to look for abnormal cells. The doctor also takes a sample from the lymph nodes during this procedure.
- Needle biopsy: In this procedure, a local anaesthetic is used to numb the skin area. With the help of a CT scanner or ultrasound, an abnormal cell mass in the lungs is located, and a needle is inserted directly through the skin to the lungs to remove the tissue.
- A biopsy sample is analysed for the presence of cancer cells and the type of lung cancer. Determining the type of cancer and cancer stage is important for disease prognosis and treatment planning.
- To determine the stage of the cancer, further imaging tests like a CT scan, a bone scan, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, and a positron emission tomography (PET) scan are recommended by the health care provider.
Conclusion
If you were wondering how is lung cancer detected, we hope this article has helped. Detecting lung cancer early is an important part of managing the disease, but the process can be complex and daunting. Trips to the doctor's office, scans, and biopsies can all add up, leaving patients wondering how they'll pay for it all. That's where health insurance comes in. With quality health insurance, patients can have peace of mind knowing that they have access to the resources they need to diagnose and treat their condition.