What are the misunderstandings in the treatment of lung cancer? Don't make 4 mistakes in the treatment of lung cancer

Many patients think that small lesions mean early stage lung cancer during initial examinations. In fact, some lung cancers are more likely to metastasize, such as small cell lung cancer, adenocarcinoma of the lung, etc. Cancer cells are prone to metastasize to multiple parts such as the head, liver, and bones. Although the lesions are small, a large number of metastases occur, which is already mid-to-late stage lung cancer and is very dangerous. In comparison, squamous cell carcinoma is less metastatic.

Lung cancer is different from other cancers. Lung cancer is like an invisible killer. Early symptoms are not easy to detect. Many lung cancer patients are usually diagnosed in the late stage. Therefore, the mortality rate of lung cancer ranks first among all cancers. There is actually another reason why the mortality rate of lung cancer is so high, that is, many people still have some misunderstandings about the treatment of lung cancer.

Several major misunderstandings about lung cancer

Myth 1: Small lesions mean early stage lung cancer

Many patients think that small lesions mean early stage lung cancer during initial examinations. In fact, some lung cancers are more likely to metastasize, such as small cell lung cancer, adenocarcinoma of the lung, etc. Cancer cells are prone to metastasize to multiple parts such as the head, liver, and bones. Although the lesions are small, a large number of metastases occur, which is already mid-to-late stage lung cancer and is very dangerous. In comparison, squamous cell carcinoma is less metastatic.

Myth 2: Just take a chest X-ray and you’ll be fine

Nowadays, many people have a chest X-ray during their physical examination, thinking that everything is fine if the chest X-ray is normal. In fact, it is not the case. From the perspective of specialists, it is recommended that people over 40 years old should have a CT physical examination every year. Because in ordinary chest X-rays, the heart, muscles, bones, etc. are stacked from front to back. If the doctor is not experienced enough, it is impossible to find the lesions. CT examination is similar to cutting radishes, showing them layer by layer, and the results are more accurate and reliable.

In addition, many people always think that pleural effusion is caused by pleurisy when they have symptoms. In fact, this symptom should consider the possibility of tumor. Relatively speaking, as age increases (such as 40 or 50 years old), the possibility of inflammation decreases and the possibility of tumor increases.

Myth 3: Treating lung cancer as tuberculosis

When patients find lesions in their lungs, they always hope that they have an "easy-to-treat disease" and are afraid to use further means to confirm whether it is a tumor. Because some lung cancers and tuberculosis are difficult to distinguish in imaging, such as tuberculomas of the lungs are easily confused with peripheral lung cancers, hilar lymph node tuberculosis is easily confused with central lung cancers, and old tuberculosis is easily confused with scar cancer, etc., it is very easy to misdiagnose, mistreat or delay treatment in clinical practice. In terms of symptoms, common symptoms of tuberculosis are cough, night sweats, low-grade fever in the afternoon, and weight loss; the symptoms of lung cancer are not very specific, and the most common symptoms are cough or blood in sputum, and the symptoms of the two are also easy to confuse.

In addition, further examination measures, such as fiberoptic bronchoscopy and lung puncture biopsy, are painful. Patients are afraid of this pain and would rather believe that they have "tuberculosis." The treatment of tuberculosis takes a long period of time, which delays the early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.

Myth 4: Surgery is useless

Lung cancer patients are most afraid of thoracotomy. Sometimes they would rather choose chemotherapy than surgery, or even easily believe that "surgery is useless" and miss the best time for surgery. For early lung cancer, thoracic surgery is a recognized good measure, with a 5-year survival rate of about 70%. If surgery is given up, the 5-year survival rate may be only 5% to 10%.