After lung cancer has been diagnosed

After lung cancer has been diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the lungs or to other parts of the body.

The process used to find out if cancer has spread within the lungs or to other parts of the body is called staging. The information gathered from the staging process determines the stage of the disease. It is important to know the stage in order to plan treatment. The following tests and procedures may be used in the staging process:

Physical exam and history:

An exam of the body to check general signs of health, including checking for signs of disease, such as lumps or anything else that seems unusual. A history of the patient’s health habits and past illnesses and treatments will also be taken.

Radiologic exams:

The use of radiation or other imaging methods to find signs of cancer. Radiologic tests for non-small cell lung cancer include:

Chest x-ray:

An x-ray of the organs and bones inside the chest. An x-ray is a type of energy beam that can go through the body and onto film, making a picture of areas inside the body.

CT scan (CAT scan):

A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.

PET scan (positron emission tomography scan):

A procedure to find malignant tumor cells in the body. A small amount of radionuclide glucose (sugar) is injected into a vein. The PET scanner rotates around the body and makes a picture of where glucose is being used in the body. Malignant tumor cells show up brighter in the picture because they are more active and take up more glucose than normal cells.

Laboratory tests:

Medical procedures that test samples of tissue, blood, urine, or other substances in the body. These tests help to diagnose disease, plan and check treatment, or monitor the disease over time.

Lymph node biopsy:

The removal of all or part of a lymph node. A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells. One of the following types of biopsies may be done:

  • Excisional biopsy: The removal of an entire lymph node.
  • Incisional biopsy: The removal of part of a lymph node.
  • Core biopsy: The removal of part of a lymph node using a wide needle.
  • Needle biopsy: The removal of part of a lymph node using a thin needle.

Bronchoscopy:

A procedure to look inside the trachea and large airways in the lung for abnormal areas. A bronchoscope (a thin, lighted tube) is inserted through the nose or mouth into the trachea and lungs. Tissue samples may be taken for biopsy.

Mediastinoscopy:

A surgical procedure to look at the organs, tissues, and lymph nodes between the lungs for abnormal areas. An incision (cut) is made at the top of the breastbone and a thin, lighted tube is inserted into the chest. Tissue and lymph node samples may be taken for biopsy.

Anterior mediastinotomy:

A surgical procedure to look at the organs and tissues between the lungs and between the breastbone and spine for abnormal areas. An incision (cut) is made next to the breastbone and a thin, lighted tube is inserted into the chest. Tissue and lymph node samples may be taken for biopsy. This is also called the Chamberlain procedure.



Lung Cancer News

Anti-estrogens may offer protection against lung cancer mortality
 10 Dec 2009 at 10:00pm
(American Association for Cancer Research) Anti-estrogen therapy significantly decreased the risk of lung cancer death. Results support the role of estrogens in lung cancer management.
EGFR gene signature predicts non-small cell lung cancer prognosis
 11 Jan 2010 at 10:00pm
(American Association for Cancer Research) Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a validated therapeutic target for non-small cell lung cancer. Researchers have now discovered a 93-gene signature that is associated with the presence of EGFR mutations in tumors from lung cancer patients and is a favorable prognostic marker in patients with early stage lung cancer.
MicroRNA profiling identifies chemoresistance in small cell lung cancer
 11 Jan 2010 at 10:00pm
(American Association for Cancer Research) At least three tumor microRNAs appear to predict when first-line chemotherapy will prove ineffective in some patients with small cell lung cancer, according to data presented at the AACR-IASLC Joint Conference on Molecular Origins of Lung Cancer, held Jan. 11-14, 2010.
Study shows modest improvement in advanced lung cancer overall survival rates
 30 Nov 2009 at 10:00pm
(International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer) Research released in the December 2009 issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology sought to determine whether the survival improvement among patients with metastatic lung cancer has improved over the last two decades as reported in controlled clinical trials.
Gene testing identifies lung cancer patients who benefit from ALK-inhibitor drug
 11 Jan 2010 at 10:00pm
Results of a new study in non-small cell lung cancer showed that patients with specific oncogenic rearrangements of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene within the short arm of chromosome 2 of their tumors had a much greater response to a new therapy -- an ALK-inhibitor. Findings were presented at the AACR-IASLC Joint Conference on Molecular Origins of Lung Cancer.
Erlotinib dosing in lung cancer depends on smoking status
 11 Jan 2010 at 10:00pm
(American Association for Cancer Research) Although erlotinib is an approved second-line therapy for lung cancer, its management is complicated by side effects that get worse as the dose increases.
Patient age not a factor in use of second-line therapy for lung cancer
 2 Mar 2010 at 10:00pm
(International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer) Research published in the March issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology sought to determine whether differences existed in tolerance and efficacy between patients age 70 and over and younger patients with non-small cell lung cancer receiving salvage targeted therapy with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors or chemotherapy.
Green tea could modify the effect of cigarette smoking on lung cancer risk
 11 Jan 2010 at 10:00pm
(American Association for Cancer Research) Green tea can reduce the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Benefits were also seen in nonsmokers.
Repeat negative CT scan for lung cancer does not encourage ex-smokers to resume the habit
 2 Dec 2009 at 10:00pm
(American Association for Cancer Research) Assurance of a cancer-free status did not prompt people participating in a long-term computerized tomography lung-cancer screening program to pick up their cigarettes again, researchers wrote in a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. The December issue contains a special focus on tobacco.
Second round of gefitinib may be promising lung cancer therapy
 11 Jan 2010 at 10:00pm
(American Association for Cancer Research) Patients with non-small cell lung cancer in whom treatment with gefitinib is ineffective often have limited options, but results of a new study suggest that retreating patients with the same drug could have a beneficial effect.
Novel growth pattern classification predictive of outcome in non-small cell lung cancer
 11 Jan 2010 at 10:00pm
(American Association for Cancer Research) In data presented at the AACR-IASLC Joint Conference on Molecular Origins of Lung Cancer, researchers classified tumors into three growth patterns: destructive, alveolar and papillary. This is useful in patients undergoing operations.
Secondhand smoke exposure in childhood increases lung cancer risk later in life
 2 Dec 2009 at 10:00pm
(American Association for Cancer Research) Children exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke have an increased risk of developing lung cancer in adulthood, even if they never smoked.
Blood test may aid in lung cancer diagnosis and reduce unnecessary invasive procedures
 11 Jan 2010 at 10:00pm
(American Association for Cancer Research) Of the nearly 150,000 abnormal chest X-rays performed each year in the United States, 25 percent of patients will display only benign lung pathologies on further surgical examination.
Wistar-led research team discovers genetic pattern that indicates early-stage lung cancer
 30 Nov 2009 at 10:00pm
(The Wistar Institute) Wistar Institute researchers and collaborators from the University of Pennsylvania and New York University have identified immune system markers in the blood which indicate early-stage lung tumors in people at high risk for developing lung cancer.
Hormone replacement therapy linked to increased lung cancer risk
 2 Mar 2010 at 10:00pm
(Oregon Health & Science University) Peri- and postmenopausal women aged 50 to 76 who take estrogen plus progestin may have an increased risk of lung cancer, according to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.