Diagnosing Cancer

Written by Michael Kerry

Diagnosing lung cancer can be a difficult process and requires taking history and doing many medical tests, and still many of the symptoms can be shared with other diseases.

Lung cancer is very hard to make a diagnosis for, as there are 38 different symptoms. Most of them are ordinary symptoms that could be caused by many other things. For this reason, lung cancer is very often misdiagnosed and counts for a large percentage of malpractice suits.

Initial Lung Cancer Testing

The way doctors try to diagnose lung cancer includes taking a careful history of the patient. This should include their smoking history, family history of cancer, and an environmental and occupational history. Doctors should also do a complete physical exam with a test for breathing function, and a chest x-ray.

Advanced Testing

If doctors suspect lung cancer they may do a sputum cytology exam. This is a close look at the cells of a deep cough mucus sample from the lungs. The doctor may choose to do a lung tissue biopsy. The biopsy can be done in several different ways. One way is by a bronchoscope. This means a small, lighted tube is put through the mouth or nose and down into the lung. The doctor can take small samples of tissue and cells with this tube for further examination. Another way to take a sample is by needle aspiration. This means a needle is put into the chest and into the tumor, drawing out fluid or tissue for further testing.

Another method of testing is called thorasentesis. This is the process of removing some fluid from around the lungs to test for cancer cells. This too, is done by a needle. A more severe type of test is the thoracotomy, which means opening the chest in a major operation. This is done in a hospital to diagnose cancer.

After Diagnosis

After these tests, if lung cancer is diagnosed, there will be further tests that are called staging tests. Staging tests will determine what stage the lung cancer is in. Once the stage is determined, doctors have a better idea of where to start treatment.

Staging tests can include any of the following: CT scan, MRI, or a radionuclide scan. The radionuclide scan means a radioactive substance is either swallowed or injected, and the scanning is done by showing the radioactivity in the organs. A high activity will provide the doctor with information he can use to determine what stage the cancer is in.

Staging tests may also include a bone scan, and mediastinoscopy. A mediastinoscope is put into the body through a cut in the neck so the doctor can view the top portion of the chest cavity to determine the cancer stage.

Online Home Testing Kits

There are even some home diagnostic tests that can be done, several are related to smoking or tobacco as that is a major cause of lung cancer. These home tests include: the nicotine test, lung function test, and lung peak flow meter test. There is also an allergy related home test. All these home tests are available on line and in pharmacies for you to buy and use.

Explanations on the use and findings of the test will be given in the test kit. This could give you a heads up of what to expect from a doctor visit. They should not, however take the place of a doctor. The sooner you can get a doctors diagnosis the better and faster the treatment will be. This is very important as most lung cancers are rapid growing and an early diagnosis will mean an extension of quality life as well as how long that life will be.

Even if the home tests show negative findings for lung cancer, if the patient has any of the more than 38 signs that could mean lung cancer, go to a doctor and get further tests. Hopefully it will not be lung cancer but the symptoms could mean something is amiss and whatever it is needs to be diagnosed and treated.

Thirty-eight Signs

There are approximately thirty-eight common signs and symptoms of lung cancer. I’ve listed a few of them below. Just remember these signs and symptoms are shared by many diseases and can be anything. Make sure and check things out with your doctor if you suspect any of the following, or a combination of the following, might be the first signs of lung cancer.

Look for these signs or symptoms: chronic coughing, coughing up blood, or a cough that is getting worse. Recurrent pneumonia or bronchitis, swollen neck, chronic chest pain, fever, shortness of breath, and wheezing are other symptoms. Also look for hoarseness, chest pain, or a swollen face. You might also have a loss of appetite, weight loss, weakness and fatigue.

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