In the first 2 stages, during the appearance and development of a neoplasm on the lung sacs, the patient does not yet feel a sharp deterioration in health. Therefore, men during this period practically do not seek help from medical institutions, which makes it difficult to timely detect a tumor.

Symptoms at the onset of the disease

The development of a cancerous neoplasm on the lung can occur in different forms, which differ from each other in the spread of metastases, the possibility of recurrence of the disease at an early stage of development, and the variety of clinical types.
The first signs of lung cancer usually do not cause anxiety in the patient, as they are similar to the symptoms of other diseases.
Lung cancer at the initial stages of its development gives the following manifestations:

1. A man develops a cough that has an unsystematic character.
2. The patient complains of severe fatigue.
3. The patient has a sharp decrease in appetite. The body weight is rapidly decreasing.
4. In subsequent stages, shortness of breath begins to appear, a cough with blood develops.
5. Pain syndrome in humans occurs when metastases penetrate the organs and tissue structures surrounding the affected lung.

Symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage practically do not make it possible to accurately diagnose the disease, since it is difficult to differentiate a cancerous tumor from other lesions of the lung structures by them. This happens because there are practically no nerve endings in the lung, and this organ can provide the patient's body with oxygen even when only 27% of healthy tissues remain. Moreover, it should be borne in mind that the growth of a cancerous neoplasm in most cases lasts several years.

Second and third stages of lung cancer

At these stages of neoplasm growth, certain indicators appear that mask other ailments. Usually, initially, a sick man has a sharp decrease in activity. He often complains of fatigue from simple household activities, loses interest in them, is depressed. He has weakness in the whole body, his working capacity is sharply reduced.
Cancer is often disguised as bronchitis, various inflammatory processes in the respiratory tract, pneumonia, viral infection, etc. Often, the patient's body temperature rises, which then subsides. But after a while, the person is again in a fever. If a man takes medication during this period, then the signs of the disease disappear, but then everything repeats. Some men at this time seek help from a doctor, but most often it is impossible to detect manifestations of cancer at this stage.
At the 2nd and 3rd stages of the development of the disease, insufficiency already occurs in the lung structures, serious problems begin with the heart and its rhythm. A man complains of chest pain. This is due to the loss of entire zones of the lung from the breathing process, which negatively affects the state of human health.

If, at the initial stage of cancer, a man’s cough is rare and dry with little or no sputum (with), then it develops into a hysterical cough. There is sputum with blood. A man should immediately consult a doctor. It is during this period that a person begins to hurt that part of the chest, where doctors then discover a cancerous tumor.

Another sign of cancer development is difficulty in passing food through the esophagus. Symptoms may indicate a masked inflammatory process in the esophagus, but this is due to the introduction of metastases into the lymph nodes of the organ, which prevents the normal passage of food. If metastases have reached the nerve endings between the ribs, then the man's pain intensifies. The intensity of the pain syndrome depends entirely on the involvement of the subcostal, thoracic membrane in the process.

Fourth stage of the disease

At this stage of the pathology, a man begins to experience severe pain due to damage to nerve endings by metastases.. Almost all patients develop paralysis of the ligaments. The process of abscess in the lung begins. There is a strong pain syndrome in those organs where metastases have managed to penetrate. A man has enlarged supraclavicular lymph nodes.
Together with these symptoms, the patient shows signs such as rapid weight loss, constant weakness that cannot be explained, and high fatigue. Patients have a sharp change in mood, depression develops. They often complain of pain in the heart and seek help from a cardiologist, therapist. Only during the examination they reveal the symptoms of cancer.

The dependence of the signs of the disease on its form

If a person has developed, then the course of the disease is asymptomatic for a long time. The neoplasm grows into organs adjacent to the affected lung, and then quickly increases in size. The first sign of this disease is shortness of breath and the presence of periodic pain in the chest. By the intensity of shortness of breath, one can judge the size of the neoplasm: the more significant the shortness of breath in the patient, the larger the size of the tumor. Soreness in the chest may be permanent or transient. It occurs in 50% of men with this form of cancer. Localization of the pain syndrome occurs on the side of the chest where the tumor itself is located.

The small cell form of cancer is almost always malignant. In the lungs it develops infrequently. Signs of such a disease are considered to be shortness of breath and intoxication. Metastases in small cell carcinoma occur in the early stages of pathology development. They affect almost the entire body of the patient.

Content

Rapidly developing, this terrible disease destroys the lives of men and women. The appearance of clear signs only in the later stages of its development reduces the patient's chances of recovery. It is important to know the symptoms of cancer in order to start treatment earlier.

The first signs of lung cancer

The disease develops latently for a long time. The tumor begins to form in the glands, mucosa, but metastases grow very quickly throughout the body. The risk factors for the occurrence of a malignant neoplasm are:

• air pollution;
• smoking;
• viral infections;
• hereditary causes;
• harmful production conditions.

Signs of the disease at first do not cause fear - they are similar to inflammation of the respiratory system. Early stage lung cancer symptoms include:

• fatigue;
• loss of appetite;
• dry cough;
• slight weight loss;
• fatigue;
• temperature increase;
• sweating;
• drop in performance;
• bad smell on breath.

This organ has a peculiarity - there are no nerve endings, when exposed to which pain is likely to appear - it is not observed at the beginning of the disease. The difficulty of diagnosing this period is associated with:

• the location of the neoplasm under the bone tissue;
• the similarity of the density of healthy and affected cells;
• the absence of visible lymph nodes signaling a problem.

Lung cancer stage 4 - symptoms before death

The tumor can grow at a high rate and lead to death in a year. The reason lies in the absence of specific signs in the early stages of the disease, when treatment is possible. If stage 4 lung cancer is observed, the symptoms before death are very pronounced. The period is characterized by:

• cough at night;
• depression;
• chronic drowsiness;
• lack of appetite;
• severe weight loss;
• apathy;
• rave;
• lack of concentration;
• purulent sputum with blood;
• problems with swallowing;
• swelling of the legs;
• severe headaches.

How does stage 4 lung cancer manifest itself? Its symptoms depend on the prevalence of metastases. The adult patient becomes infirm, in an extreme degree of exhaustion. The signs of lung cancer of the last stage, which lead to death, are determined:

• venous spots on the legs;
• pulmonary bleeding;
• unbearable pain in the chest;
• suffocation;
• vision loss;
• hemorrhage in the brain;
• thready pulse.

Symptoms at different stages

How to recognize lung cancer? The process of development of the disease is usually divided into 4 stages, which have their own characteristics. At the first stage, lung cancer - the symptoms and signs of which are mild in the initial stages - is concentrated in one place. The neoplasm is small in size - less than 3 cm, there are no metastases, the following manifestations are characteristic:

• dry cough;
• weakness;
• loss of appetite;
• malaise;
• temperature increase;
• headache.

In the second stage, the symptoms of lung cancer are more pronounced, which is associated with the growth of the size of the tumor, its pressure on neighboring organs, and the appearance of the first metastases in the lymph nodes. The disease manifests itself:

• hemoptysis;
• wheezing when breathing;
• weight loss;
• elevated temperature;
• increased cough;
• chest pains;
• weakness.

At stage 3, the symptoms are more smoothed, in this it differs from the fourth, which is accompanied by unbearable pain, ends in death. The tumor is spread far, metastases are extensive, the symptoms are more intense than in the second stage. Symptoms of cancer appear:

• increased wet cough;
• blood, pus in sputum;
• breathing difficulties;
• dyspnea;
• problems with swallowing;
• hemoptysis;
• sharp weight loss;
• epilepsy, speech disorder, with small cell form;
• intense pain.

Hemoptysis

Due to the destruction of the mucous membrane of the bronchi, tumor lesions of the vessels, pieces of tissue begin to separate. Hemoptysis in lung cancer is characterized by the appearance of:

• large clots with a bright red color;
• individual small streaks of blood;
• jelly-like form of raspberry color;
• pulmonary hemorrhage - which will quickly lead to death.

Phlegm

The discharge looks like thick, clear mucus, which is difficult to pass when the symptom first appears. With the development of a tumor, sputum in lung cancer changes. She may be:

• foamy, streaked with blood - with edema;
• bright scarlet - accompanies the destruction of blood vessels;
• with pus - with the development of complications;
• similar to raspberry jelly - accompanies the decomposition of tissues.

Cough - what is it

This characteristic symptom of the disease is the response to receptor irritation by the growing tumor. There is no lung cancer without a cough, but its manifestation changes as the neoplasm develops:

• at first - causeless, dry, prolonged, causing difficulty in breathing;
• then - with the addition of sputum - viscous or liquid mucus;
• further - the appearance of pus, blood in the discharge.

Pain

Since there are no nerve endings in the organ, the answer to the question - do the lungs hurt with cancer? - will be negative. It all starts with tumor metastases to neighboring organs. Pain occurs due to the pressing of nerve endings in them, can be aggravated by tension, inhalation, have the character:

• pricking;
• with burning;
• squeezing;
• with numbness;
• blunt;
• shingles;
• spicy;
• local.

Symptoms of lung cancer in men

Since men are at risk, the disease is more often diagnosed in them. When cancer starts, the symptoms and early signs are blurred. Everything unfolds with the advent of a prolonged causeless cough. Signs of lung cancer in men begin to increase rapidly, there are:

• hoarseness of voice;
• dyspnea;
• decrease in vitality;
• whistling when breathing;
• swelling of the face;
• violation of the heart rhythm;
• difficulty in swallowing;
• an increase in axillary lymph nodes;
• depression;
• dizziness;
• pain when inhaling;
• headache;
• fatigue.

Among women

Unlike the disease of men - the first symptoms of lung cancer in women - the urge to cough - begin earlier. In the early stages, they are also absent. Symptoms begin with a dry cough that gradually turns into a wet, mucus-producing cough. Cancer is suspected when:

weight loss;

lack of appetite;

deterioration in swallowing;

enlargement of the lymph nodes;

blood in sputum;

fever;

temperature increase;

jaundice - with liver metastases.

How to Diagnose Lung Cancer

For early diagnosis of diseases, the adult population is prescribed to perform a fluorographic examination every two years. When blackouts are detected, additional procedures are performed to distinguish between oncology and tuberculosis. How to diagnose lung cancer? There are several methods:

• x-ray - the very first, accessible and informative at an early stage;
• computed tomography - determines the size and position of the tumor, helps to see metastases far from the focus of the disease.

When X-ray radiation is contraindicated for a patient, an MRI is prescribed. During the examination, small tumors are detected, the size of the internal lymph nodes is determined.

Signs of cancer are specified with additional studies:

• blood test for tumor markers;
• bronchoscopy - reveals violations in the lumen of the bronchi, has the ability to take material for a biopsy, determines the presence of a tumor;
• tissue biopsy is an accurate method for detecting oncology, but after such an intervention, the growth of cancer cells is likely to accelerate.

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Lung cancer - symptoms and signs in women and men

Lung cancer is recognized by the World Health Organization as the most common oncological pathology in the world. More than 1.2 million people die from lung cancer every year worldwide. At the same time, the frequency of lung cancer in men in different age groups is five to eight times higher than the frequency of this pathology in women.

According to world medical statistics, if oncopathology is diagnosed in the early period (first or second stages), death occurs in 10% within a year, if in the third - in 60%, and in the fourth - in 85% of patients.

Given the widespread prevalence of this oncology and the high mortality of patients during the first year, it becomes clear that the leading oncologists around the world are interested in the problem of its early diagnosis.

Why does it occur?

Lung cancer is an oncological pathology with the localization of the tumor process in the lung structures. A feature of this oncopathology is the rapid growth of the tumor and early metastasis.

Risk factors that significantly increase a patient's chance of developing lung cancer include:

The presence of several risk factors in a patient increases the likelihood of developing this disease.

First signs

Symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage depend on the clinical and anatomical form of tumor localization, its histological structure, the size and type of growth of the neoplasm, the nature of metastasis, the degree of damage to surrounding tissues and concomitant inflammatory processes in the lung structures. How to identify the first signs of a cancerous tumor in the lungs?

Early symptoms may be absent or nonspecific. At the initial stages of a malignant neoplasm, the following early symptoms of lung cancer occur:

The first symptoms of lung cancer are completely non-specific, hiding under the guise of other lung diseases, so it is often not possible to recognize it in the early stages. Lung cancer can manifest itself in the form of frequent pneumonias that are difficult to treat with antibiotic therapy.

In addition to local symptoms, the clinical picture of this pathology is characterized by general symptoms due to the release of many metabolic products by the tumor into the patient's blood.

These substances have a toxic effect on the human body, which is manifested in its intoxication:

• causeless weight loss;
• decrease in working capacity;
• general fatigue.

External examination of patients presenting the above complaints also does not give specific symptoms. In patients, pallor of the skin can be determined, which is often found in various diseases. In the presence of pain in the chest, there is a lag of the affected side during breathing. Palpation and percussion of the chest in the early stages of the disease also does not reveal pathological symptoms: only occasionally dullness of percussion sound can be determined over the lungs.

The auscultatory picture depends on the localization of the tumor, and when it grows into the bronchus over the lungs, weakening of vesicular breathing, wheezing (small or large bubbles) can be heard, with the development of peritumoral pneumonia - crepitus.

Thus, in the early stages of lung cancer, neither the survey, nor the examination, nor the physical methods of examining the patient reveal specific symptoms of oncopathology, therefore, they cannot be the basis for making a preliminary diagnosis of cancer.

Diagnosis of lung cancer

Given that the first signs of lung cancer are difficult to detect during the initial examination of the patient, in case of suspicious cases of respiratory diseases, additional diagnostic methods are necessary. Among all methods for diagnosing lung cancer, the most informative are:

The most common and accessible method for diagnosing lung tumors is radiography. With the help of X-ray images, it is possible to identify a tumor, determine its size, the prevalence of the pathological process, the involvement of lymph nodes and mediastinal organs.

More informative methods of X-ray diagnostics are computed tomography (CT) and its varieties (multispiral CT, contrast-enhanced CT, positron emission tomography), which can detect the initial stage of lung cancer or its asymptomatic forms.

The determination of independent tumor markers in the patient's blood also indicates that the patient is starting or developing lung cancer. The first signs of this oncopathology are detected using CEA, CYFRA 21.1, NSE, ProGRP, SCCA, CEA tumor markers.

The detection or increase in their number in the blood above a certain level indicates the presence of a malignant neoplasm in the lungs. At the same time, the most informative method is to determine the combination of oncomarkers to determine the probable histological type of the tumor.

Bronchoscopic examination is indicated for signs of bronchial obstruction of unknown origin, it is effective in the central localization of carcinoma. With the help of a flexible fiber-optic bronchoscope, the bronchial mucosa is examined and, if a tumor is detected, material is selected for histological examination.

D To obtain more accurate results, fluorescent bronchoscopy is used, which consists in examining the bronchi under the conditions of their illumination with a special helium-cadmium laser.

A cytological analysis of sputum detects atypical cells in cases where the cancerous process spreads to the bronchi, growing into their lumen, as a result of which its cells freely enter the bronchial mucus.

A biopsy for histological analysis is obtained by transthoracic (fine-needle or thick-needle) biopsy, which is performed under the control of computed tomography, or during bronchoscopy.

Early detection of lung cancer significantly increases the five-year survival rate of patients. If the tumor is detected at the third stage (regional metastasis), the survival rate of patients in the first year of the disease decreases from 40-60% to 20%, and when it is detected at the fourth stage - up to 10-12%.

To detect lung cancer in the early stages, there must be oncological alertness of both the doctor and the patient, which is especially important if the patient has several risk factors.

One of the leading causes of death in the world is lung cancer, the symptoms of which vary depending on the stage of the disease. The development of a cancerous tumor is promoted by both external factors and internal causes. But, regardless of the treatment, the likelihood of recovery remains low.

Lung cancer is a malignant tumor that develops from the mucous membrane and glandular tissue of the lungs and bronchi. Men are more prone to this disease than women, and it is noticed that the older the men, the higher the incidence rate. The risk group includes men with dark skin color.

Symptoms and signs

Symptoms that characterize the development of a cancerous tumor in the lungs are divided into two categories: general and specific.

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• general weakness of the body;
• deterioration or loss of appetite;
• rapid weight loss;
• sweating;
• causeless change of mood;
• development of depression;
• increase in body temperature.

• causeless cough, which can last for a certain period, exhausting the patient. The nature of the cough can gradually change, become more frequent and prolonged, and be accompanied by sputum.

Cough can appear randomly: it is enough to inhale cold air, experience prolonged physical exertion, or just walk at a brisk pace.

• dyspnea also indicates changes present in the lungs. It is associated with a narrowing of the lumen of the bronchi, a violation of their ventilation (atelectasis), developed inflammation of the lungs, a partial or significant violation of gas exchange in the lungs.

In the later stages of the disease, atelectasis (impaired ventilation) of the entire lung and its failure can occur.

• hemoptysis, which is a characteristic sign of the presence of lung cancer. The quality of spotting can be different: it can be active bleeding or dark blood clots. It depends on the stage of the disease, the form and histological features of the tumor.

In some cases, hemoptysis may indicate the development of pulmonary tuberculosis or bronchiectasis. Often, heavy and prolonged bleeding leads to death.

• chest pain, which is evidence of the germination of the tumor in the pleura, later in the bone tissue and nerve endings. This process is accompanied by characteristic unbearable pain in the chest.

With the development of some forms of lung cancer, there are no early symptoms of the disease. This significantly complicates the detection and diagnosis of the tumor in the early stages. So, reduce the chance of recovery of the patient.

Video: Unusual signs of lung cancer

Stages of lung cancer

Faced with lung cancer, many do not know how to determine the stage of the disease.
In oncology, when assessing the nature and extent of lung cancer, 4 stages of the development of the disease are classified.

However, the duration of any stage is purely individual for each patient. It depends on the size of the neoplasm and the presence of metastases, as well as on the rate of the course of the disease.

Regardless of these features, there are clear criteria by which this or that stage of the disease is determined. Moreover, the classification of lung cancer is only suitable for non-small cell cancer.

Non-small cell cancer of the left lung, as well as the right one, begins its development long before the tumor is visualized.

hidden stage. At this stage, the presence of cancer cells can only be determined after analysis of sputum or water obtained as a result of bronchoscopy.

Zero stage (0). Cancer cells are found only in the inner lining of the lung. This stage is characterized as non-invasive cancer.

First stage (1). Symptoms of stage 1 lung cancer are divided into two substages, which are characterized by distinctive features.

1A. The tumor, increasing in size (up to 3 cm), grows into the internal tissues of the lung. This formation is surrounded by healthy tissue, and the lymph nodes and bronchi are not yet affected.

1B. The tumor, increasing in size, grows deeper and deeper, without affecting the lymph nodes. In this case, the size of the cancer exceeds 3 cm and grows into the pleura or passes to the bronchi.

Second stage (2).Symptoms appear more clearly: shortness of breath, cough with blood in the sputum, breathing noises, pain syndrome.

2A. The tumor has a size of 5-7 cm, without affecting the lymph nodes, or the size remains within 5 cm, but the tumor metastasizes to the lymph nodes;

2B. The size of the tumor is within 7 cm, however, it borders on the lymph nodes, or the size remains within 5 cm, but the tumor affects the pleura, lymph nodes, and the heart membrane.

Third stage (3). Symptoms of stage 3 lung cancer are characterized by the following signs. The pleura, sternum wall, and lymph nodes are involved in the process of injury. Metastases spread to the vessels, trachea, esophagus, spinal column, heart.

3A. The tumor exceeds 7 cm, metastasizes to the lymph nodes of the mediastinum, pleura, diaphragm, or gives complications to the lymph nodes near the heart and complicates the respiratory process.

3B. Tumor cells spread to the pericardium, mediastinum, clavicle, or grow into the lymph nodes of the opposite side from the sternum.

Fourth stage (4). The terminal stage, in which severe irreversible processes occur that involve distant systems and organs. The disease takes a severe incurable form.

For small cell lung cancer, which develops rapidly and affects the body in a short time, only 2 stages of development are characteristic:

• limited stage when cancer cells are localized in one lung and tissues located in close proximity.
• extensive or extensive stage when the tumor metastasizes to an area outside the lung and to distant organs.

Metastases

Metastases are called secondary tumor nodes that spread to distant and adjacent organs and systems.

Metastases have a more detrimental effect on the body than a cancerous tumor.

Metastases spread by lymphogenous, hematogenous or implantation routes. The spread of metastases in most cases outstrips the development of the tumor itself, which significantly reduces the success of lung cancer treatment. For some forms of cancer
metastases appear in the early stages.

Metastases have certain stages of development. The initial stage involves the appearance of metastases in the immediate vicinity of the primary tumor. In the process of development, metastases move to more distant parts of the body.

The last stage of metastasis development is a danger to the patient's life, since cancerous tumors, moving, acquire new properties.

Photo: Stages of lung cancer with metastases

Treatment

Modern medicine has advanced methods for the treatment of oncological diseases, including lung cancer. The tactics of treatment is chosen by the attending physician based on the anamnesis, and subsequently on the basis of the results of the examination.

The treatment regimen includes the complex use of methods for the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.

It should be noted that the traditional and only reliable method of treatment that leaves hope for recovery is surgical treatment.

Surgery involves surgery to remove a cancerous tumor in its entirety or its individual segment. This method is used when non-small cell lung cancer develops.

For small cell cancer, other, more effective methods are used. At earlier stages, there is the possibility of using more gentle therapies, including radiotherapy (radiation therapy) and chemotherapy.

About what should be the diet for lung cancer chemotherapy.

Radiation therapy involves irradiating cancer cells with a powerful beam of gamma rays. As a result of this process, cancer cells die or they stop their growth and reproduction. This method is the most common for both forms of lung cancer. Radiotherapy can stop stage 3 squamous cell lung cancer, as well as small cell lung cancer.

Chemotherapy involves the use of special drugs that can stop or destroy cancerous tumor cells both at the initial and later stages.

The group of drugs includes such means as:

• "Doxorubicin";
• "5fluorouracil";
• "Metatrixate";
• "Bevacizumab".

Chemotherapy is the only therapeutic method that can prolong the life of the patient and alleviate his suffering.

Video: How to treat lung cancer

Forecast

The prognosis for the development of lung cancer directly depends on the stage of the disease and on the histological features of the cancerous tumor. However, with complete absence of treatment for two years, mortality among patients reaches 90%.

In the case of the development of small cell cancer, the prognosis is more comforting than in the case of non-small cell cancer. This is due to the high sensitivity of cancer cells of this form of tumor to treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

A favorable prognosis is possible only after treatment of stage 1 and 2 non-small cell lung cancer. At later stages, in stages 3 and 4, the disease is incurable, and the survival rate of patients is only about 10%. No wonder they say that it is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it.

Timely diagnosis of lung cancer in the early stages can cure this terrible disease.