How is lung cancer detected?

Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
Updated on March 15, 2025
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For lung cancer detection, it is recommended for individuals over forty, especially smokers, to undergo a low-dose spiral CT for screening. Secondly, if someone has been a long-term heavy smoker and has undergone chest X-rays and low-dose spiral CT and a lung mass is found, it is suggested that the patient undergo a contrast-enhanced CT or a PET-CT to determine the condition and location of the lung mass. After establishing the condition and location, a sputum cytology test can be conducted. Thirdly, to confirm whether it is lung cancer, one should undergo bronchoscopy to obtain a biopsy, or a transthoracic lung puncture biopsy, or examine live tissue or metastatic lesions, or perform a pleural fluid examination to detect the cancer cells and determine the specific type of lung cancer to guide treatment. However, if the nature of the lesion cannot be clearly determined through mediastinoscopy, bronchoscopy, chest wall puncture biopsy, or other methods, a thoracotomy exploration is recommended. Additionally, the examination of tumor markers cannot be ignored.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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What tests are conducted for lung cancer?

Diagnosis of Lung Cancer: The first method can be through chest X-ray and CT scan; The second is sputum cytology examination; The third involves using a bronchoscopy; The fourth is mediastinoscopy, which allows direct observation of the enlargement of lymph nodes on both sides of the mediastinum; The fifth is to perform PET-CT, which is Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography; The sixth requires a biopsy; it can be done through a transthoracic needle biopsy, or via a bronchoscopic biopsy; The seventh is the biopsy of metastatic lesions, such as subclavian lymph nodes, and lymph node metastases in the neck or axillary areas can be examined; The eighth can involve drawing cancerous pleural effusion; if there is pleural effusion, pleural fluid cytology examination can be performed; The ninth method is thoracotomy exploration; if lung nodules or lung tumors cannot be definitively diagnosed through various other methods, thoracotomy exploration can be performed.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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What is good to eat for lung cancer?

For dietary recommendations regarding lung cancer, the first suggestion is to maintain a regular diet and lifestyle with a routine schedule, focusing on easy-to-digest and absorbable foods. The second suggestion is to enhance nutrition intake, for instance, by consuming more eggs, milk, and other high animal protein foods, such as quality protein sources. The third suggestion is to eat more healthy green foods, such as vegetables and fruits, focusing on fresh items. The fourth point is to advise against smoking and drinking alcohol, and to consume fewer irritating foods.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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Will people with lung cancer experience weight loss?

This question should be answered specifically. Some people may initially experience symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue when they start to develop lung cancer. Some people with better physical constitution may not lose weight so easily. However, if a malignant tumor persists in the body for a long time, it will consume the body's nutrients and lead to a state of cachexia, characterized by systemic toxicity symptoms including weight loss, fatigue, fever, and other similar symptoms.

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Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
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Is coughing severe in the early stages of lung cancer?

Patients with lung cancer in the early stages may experience severe coughing, mild coughing, or no coughing symptoms at all. Many early-stage lung cancer patients have lesions located near the periphery of the lungs that do not involve the airways or other significant structures, typically resulting in no clinical symptoms. By the time clinical symptoms appear, the patient may already be in the middle or late stages of lung cancer. Additionally, it is important to note that some patients with early-stage lung cancer may also experience coughing, which can range from severe to mild, and may include coughing up blood. Such symptoms are often seen in early-stage central lung cancer, which frequently presents with cough and blood in the sputum. Therefore, older patients with a long history of smoking who suddenly develop a cough or start coughing up blood should be highly vigilant and likely need to undergo chest CT scans, bronchoscopy, and other related examinations for evaluation.

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Written by An Yong Peng
Pulmonology
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What should I do about dry cough and wheezing caused by lung cancer?

Patients with lung cancer presenting with dry cough and wheezing often require treatment to suppress coughing, alleviate wheezing, and address the symptoms. It is also important to check if the patient has concurrent obstructive pneumonia. Lung cancer combined with obstructive pneumonia can also lead to dry cough and wheezing. In such cases, anti-infection treatment is needed, along with treatment specifically targeting lung cancer itself. Dry cough and wheezing in lung cancer often suggest that the cancer may be in the middle to late stages, where the chances of surgery are generally small. However, it is still necessary to complete relevant examinations to further assess the condition. If the patient is eligible for surgery, surgical treatment should be considered. If the patient is indeed in the middle to late stages of lung cancer and is not suitable for surgery, chemotherapeutic drugs are needed for treatment. Sometimes, targeted drugs can be chosen for treating advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer. In cases of advanced non-small cell lung cancer with driver gene mutations, targeted therapy might even be the preferred treatment option.