SCREENING

Screening means carrying out systematic tests to detect early cancer in a person who has no symptoms. There is currently no effective method for screening that has been shown to decrease the risk of dying from lung cancer and therefore is not recommended.

DIAGNOSIS

There are many tests used to diagnose lung cancer. If the doctor suspects lung cancer, he may order some of these tests.

• Imaging Test
  
  
• Chest X-ray
  
  
  • Plain chest X-ray is often the first test done and it detects the majority of lung cancer.
  • It is a simple test. You will be asked to stand in front of a machine with your chest pressed to a plate and breathe in while posteroanterior and lateral views of your chest are take

•  Sputum Cytology
  
  
  • Sputum is thick mucus that may be brought out from the lungs during coughing. The doctor may ask you to collect three morning samples of sputum to be viewed under a microscope as a simple, rapid and non invasive way to look for cancer cells.

• Bronchoscopy
  
  
• A bronchoscopy and biopsy involves using a thin, flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope which is a tube with a tiny camera on the end which is inserted through the nose into the respiratory airway in the lungs.
• It is performed to find the tumour, determine its location and a tumour tissue sample is taken (biopsy) for further examination under a microscope to confirm the type of cancer

• Computed Tomography (CT) scan
  
  
  • CT scan of the thorax and upper abdomen with contrast is the investigation of choice in all cases of suspected lung cancer. 
  • You will be asked to lie on a table while the CT scanner moves around you to provide the cross-sectional images of organs and other structures in your body. 
  • It supplements the findings on chest X-ray and bronchoscopy to determine the accurate stage of cancer by showing the local extent of tumour and any spread to the lymph nodes or distant organs.

• Positron Emmision Tomography scan (PET scan)
  
  
  • Whole body PET scanning provides information on the functional activity of the lung mass and is more sensitive and specific than CT scan. 
  • PET scan is now recommended for all non small cell lung cancer patients in clinically early stage (stage 1 and 2) being considered for radical curative treatment such as surgery or radiotherapy.

• Blood Test
  
  
  • Doctors may also order blood tests such as Full Blood Count, liver and kidney function test to identify chemical imbalances, blood disorders or other problems that may complicate treatment.

• Needle Biopsy
  
  
  • It allows doctor to take a sample of tumour tissue if it is not visualized during bronchoscopy or any other palpable lumps such as lymph nodes in the neck.
  • A thin needle will be inserted into the chest wall and into the mass, guided by CT scan to obtain a small piece of tumour tissue for examination under the microscope.

Updated:: 14/03/2019 []