The most informative examination for detecting lung cancer is a chest CT scan, which allows detecting lung cancer at a very early stage, showing formations of two millimeters or more. Stanislav Borzyanitsa, an oncologist at the European Medical Center (EMC), told socialbites.ca that this should be done once a year.
“There is no specific tumor marker for lung cancer, so testing for tumor markers makes no sense. The same applies to other laboratory tests, whether it is a general blood test or biochemical indicators: in the early stages of lung cancer, no changes are often detected. Other specific studies, such as bronchoscopy or PET-CT, are not performed for screening purposes; in the future, they may be indicated to revise the initial stage and treatment tactics,” the doctor said.
In the early stages, lung cancer can be asymptomatic. In this case, nonspecific symptoms may be present: weakness, fatigue, weight loss, and sometimes cough. However, shortness of breath, severe cough, and hemoptysis usually occur in the later stages of lung cancer.
“It is worth noting that lung cancer affects not only smokers, but also people who have never smoked and have genetic mutations that lead to the development of tumors. Most often, such mutations are found in young people who have never smoked,” the doctor said.
Previously named medications that put stress on the heart.