How to check if you have small cell lung cancer

How to check if you have small cell lung cancer? Small cell lung cancer is the most malignant type of lung cancer and has the worst prognosis. The disease is very harmful to patients. Therefore, if you find symptoms of the disease in your daily life, you need to diagnose and treat it as soon as possible. Today, let's take a look at how to check if you have small cell lung cancer.

Examination methods for small cell lung cancer: Chest X-ray examination: It is the simplest, most convenient and inexpensive examination method.

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 area of ​​necrosis, 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.

Ultrasound of superficial lymph nodes: SCLC is prone to metastasize to supraclavicular lymph nodes. Ultrasound scanning of the neck, supraclavicular nodes, axillae, etc. is performed to determine the stage of lymph node metastasis.

Abdominal ultrasound, CT or MRI: The liver and adrenal glands are sites where SCLC is prone to metastasis. Patients diagnosed for the first time should undergo abdominal imaging examinations to clarify the staging.

Enhanced MRI of the head: Enhanced MRI is more sensitive to brain metastases than CT.

Whole body bone scan: If a whole body bone scan indicates areas of high metabolism, the patient's medical history should be carefully inquired and combined with MRI to determine whether it is metastasis.

Tumor marker examination: The main markers are NSE, CEA, SCC, CYFR21-1, etc., which lack specificity and have certain reference value for disease monitoring.

The above-mentioned examination methods for small cell lung cancer are currently commonly used in clinical practice. Nowadays, medical equipment is relatively sophisticated and the diagnosis of small cell lung cancer is relatively accurate. Therefore, if small cell lung cancer is diagnosed, the patient should actively cooperate with the guidance of professional doctors for treatment. If the patient has the habit of smoking, in order to avoid further aggravation of the disease, he should quit smoking as soon as possible.