What tests are needed to diagnose lung cancer? Five tests can detect lung cancer early

In various countries, the number of patients suffering from lung cancer is increasing continuously. The emergence of this disease has caused many patients to lose their lives. Experts remind everyone that if they have health problems, they should be examined in time. So, what kind of examinations are needed for lung cancer? In response to this difficult question, the experts of our website will give you a detailed introduction.

1. X-ray examination

X-ray examination is the most commonly used and important means of diagnosing lung cancer. Through X-ray examination, the location and size of lung cancer can be understood. Although X-ray examination of early lung cancer cases cannot yet show a mass, local emphysema and atelectasis caused by bronchial obstruction or infiltrative lesions or pulmonary inflammation in the vicinity of the lesion may be seen.

2. Bronchoscopy

Bronchoscopy is an important measure for diagnosing lung cancer. Through bronchoscope, the pathological changes of the bronchial lining and lumen can be directly observed. If cancer or cancerous infiltration is observed, tissue can be taken for pathological section examination, or bronchial secretions can be aspirated for cytological examination to confirm the diagnosis and determine the histological type.

3. Radionuclide examination

Radioactive drugs such as 67Ga-citrate have affinity for lung cancer and its metastatic lesions. After intravenous injection, they can be concentrated in the tumor and can be used to locate lung cancer and show the extent of the cancer. The positive rate can reach about 90%.

4. Cytological examination

Most patients with primary lung cancer can find detached cancer cells in their sputum, and the histological type of the cancer cells can be determined. Therefore, sputum cytology is a simple and effective method for lung cancer screening and diagnosis. The positive rate of sputum cytology for central lung cancer can reach 70-90%, while the positive rate for sputum cytology for peripheral lung cancer is only about 50%. Therefore, a negative sputum cytology test cannot rule out the possibility of lung cancer.

5. Thoracotomy

If the nature of the lung mass cannot be determined after multiple examinations and short-term exploratory treatments, and the possibility of lung cancer cannot be ruled out, a thoracotomy should be performed if the patient's general condition permits. During the operation, appropriate treatment will be given based on the condition of the lesion and the results of pathological tissue examination. This can avoid delaying the disease and causing lung cancer cases to lose the opportunity for early treatment.

The above content introduces the examination of lung cancer. The above content is relatively comprehensive. I hope everyone can take a serious look at it. Experts remind that patients must receive treatment in the early stages. The chance of curing cancer in the late stages is almost zero, so everyone should learn more about the disease in life. If you feel unwell, you should go to a large hospital for examination in time.