How to check for early lung cancer

After lung cancer is suspected through clinical symptoms and chest X-rays, patients need further examinations to clarify the diagnosis and staging of lung cancer. The first is qualitative examination, that is, to obtain pathological or cytological diagnosis, including sputum examination, bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, puncture biopsy, pleural effusion drainage cytology, thoracotomy and exploratory surgery, etc., to obtain tumor tissue or cells for pathological analysis to clarify the diagnosis of lung cancer; the second is positioning and staging examination, mainly through CT scan, nuclear magnetic resonance, PET-CT, and bone scanning imaging, to clarify the location of lung cancer and whether there is metastasis, and the location of metastatic lesions. The treatment strategy is formulated through the above pathological examination, staging examination, and the patient's organ function status. In addition, blood tumor markers such as CEA, NSE, CA125, etc. are also required to help the diagnosis of lung cancer.

1. Common laboratory tests for lung cancer:

For diagnosis: sputum cytology, pleural effusion cytology, bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, puncture biopsy and other tumor tissue pathology detection. For guiding clinical treatment: EGFR mutation detection, ALK translocation detection, etc. Blood lung tumor markers are mainly used for auxiliary diagnosis, treatment and follow-up: including CEA, CA125, NSE, SCC, Cyfra21-1, etc.

2. Common imaging diagnoses of lung cancer include:

1. Chest X-ray: Mainly used for screening. The general location and size of lung tumors can be shown on chest X-rays.

2. CT scan: CT images can show the location and size of lung cancer, as well as whether it has metastasized and where it has metastasized.

3. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan: MRI images can show the location and size of lung cancer, as well as whether it has metastasized and where it has metastasized. MRI images are not accurate and clear enough for movable structures, such as the lungs, which move up and down with every breath. Therefore, MRI is rarely used to diagnose lung diseases.

4. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan: PET scans can create images of organs and tissues in the body. A small amount of radioactive material is injected into the body, and these materials can be absorbed by the organs and tissues with the highest energy metabolism in the body. Cancerous tissues have active metabolism and can absorb more radioactive materials. The scanner can detect radioactive elements and form an image of the human body.

5. Bone scan: Bone scan uses tracers to observe the condition of bone tissue. Tracers are also injected intravenously. Tracers concentrate in certain areas of the bone and can be detected by a special camera. Normal bone tissue images appear gray, and damaged areas appear black, such as areas with cancer invasion. Bone scans and PET scans often require a combination of CT, MRI, conventional X-rays, and physical examination information.