Analysis of the examination methods for small cell lung cancer

What are the examination methods for analyzing small cell lung cancer? Many people don't know much about the examination methods for small cells, but without examination, you don't know the severity of the disease, so you must check and treat as soon as possible. So, let's understand the examination methods for analyzing small cell lung cancer!

A chest X-ray is the simplest, easiest and cheapest method of examination.

Chest computerized tomography (CT): It can show lesions that cannot be found by ordinary X-ray examinations, and show the range and degree of involvement of the hilar lymph nodes and mediastinum.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): It is not as good as CT in detecting small lung lesions, but it can more clearly show the relationship between the tumor and large blood vessels. When determining whether there is intracranial metastasis, enhanced MRI is the first choice.

Positron emission tomography (PET): Whole-body PET is significantly more accurate than CT and radionuclide bone scanning in identifying lung masses, lymph nodes, or distant metastases.

Sputum cytology examination: The positive rate is related to the location and size of the tumor, the quality of the sputum, whether there is concurrent infection, etc. The detection rate of central lung cancer is higher, but it is difficult to determine the type, and it is currently not recommended.

Fiberoptic bronchoscopy: It can observe the location, size and extent of the tumor infiltrating the bronchial cavity, and obtain tissue for pathological examination. Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) is a new technology. For lesions with only airway compression but no intracavitary tumors, this examination can help clarify the extent of the lesion and improve the accuracy of transmural biopsy.

Percutaneous lung biopsy: It is performed under CT guidance. The biopsy positive rate is as high as 90%. If the tumor contains a large amount of necrotic area, it is often false negative.

Mediastinoscopy: For cases that are difficult to diagnose with conventional methods, mediastinoscopy and biopsy can be considered. It is of great diagnostic significance for upper mediastinal lymph node metastasis or anterior mediastinal lymph node invasion.

Thoracoscopic and open-chest biopsy: Thoracoscopic or open-chest exploratory biopsy may be considered for peripheral lesions, mediastinal lesions, or pleural lesions that are difficult to diagnose.

The treatment of small cell lung cancer is mainly chemotherapy, which can be combined or sequentially with radiotherapy. For less than 5% of early-stage patients whose disease is limited to the lung parenchyma, surgical treatment is considered. Limited-stage SCLC is mainly treated with synchronous chemoradiotherapy or chemotherapy and radiotherapy sequentially. Synchronous chemoradiotherapy is better than sequential treatment. Synchronous chemoradiotherapy should be performed as early as possible, and preventive whole-brain radiotherapy should be given. Preventive whole-brain radiotherapy has significant benefits for survival. Extensive-stage SCLC is mainly treated with chemotherapy, and local or metastatic lesions are treated at an elective time.