What are the diagnostic bases for small cell lung cancer

With the deterioration of the current environment, the accelerated pace of people's lives and the increase in the number of smokers, lung cancer has become a disease we often hear about. Small cell lung cancer is a type of lung cancer. Some people only know that they have lung cancer, but do not know whether it is small cell lung cancer. Today we will talk about the diagnostic basis of small cell lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a type of lung cancer, accounting for about 20% of lung cancer. SCLC is highly malignant, has a short doubling time, and metastasizes early and extensively. It is sensitive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and has a high initial remission rate, but is very prone to secondary drug resistance and relapse. Systemic chemotherapy is the main treatment. SCLC is not contagious and is more common in middle-aged and elderly people. It can cause complications such as pneumonia and arrhythmia.

1. Symptoms and signs caused by the primary tumor

(I) Cough: This is a common early symptom, mostly an irritating dry cough. When the tumor causes bronchial stenosis, a persistent, high-pitched metallic cough may occur. The cough is often accompanied by a small amount of mucus sputum, and when secondary infection occurs, it may be combined with purulent sputum.

(ii) Hemoptysis: Most cases are blood in the sputum or intermittent bloody sputum. In a few cases, severe hemoptysis occurs due to erosion of large blood vessels.

(III) Chest tightness and shortness of breath: The tumor causes bronchial stenosis, or the tumor metastasizes to the hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes, and the enlarged lymph nodes compress the main bronchus or tracheal carina.

2. Symptoms and signs caused by tumor expansion in the chest cavity

(I) Chest pain: Tumors directly invade the pleura, ribs, or chest wall, causing varying degrees of chest pain. If the tumor invades the pleura, it will produce irregular dull pain or pain. If the tumor compresses the intercostal nerves, chest pain may affect their distribution area.

(ii) Superior vena cava syndrome: It is mostly caused by compression of the superior vena cava or, less commonly, blockage by a tumor thrombus in the cavity. It manifests as edema of the face, neck, and upper limbs, distended neck veins, congestion and varicose veins in the chest, and may be accompanied by dizziness, swelling of the head, and headache.

(III) Dysphagia: Tumors invade or compress the esophagus, causing dysphagia.

(iv) Choking and coughing: tracheoesophageal fistula or recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis causes choking and coughing when drinking water or eating liquid food.

(V) Hoarseness: It occurs when the tumor directly compresses or metastasizes to lymph nodes compressing the recurrent laryngeal nerve (mostly on the left side).

(VI) Horner syndrome: Lung cancer located at the upper apex of the lung is called Pancoast cancer. When it compresses the C8 and T1 sympathetic nerve trunks, typical Horner syndrome occurs, with ptosis of the eyelid, constricted pupil, enophthalmos, and little or no sweating on the face and chest wall on the same side. When it invades the brachial plexus, local pain and limited shoulder joint movement occur, which is called Pancoast syndrome.

(VII) Lung infection: Inflammation that can occur repeatedly in the same area due to tumor blocking the airway is also called obstructive pneumonia.

The above are some symptoms of small cell lung cancer, which can be used as the basis for the diagnosis of small cell lung cancer. I hope the above introduction can help everyone better understand this disease.