Lung Cancer Information

The solitary pulmonary nodule (NPS) is defined as the radiological image of increased density rounded, surrounded by lung tissue and less than 3 cm. in diameter. Can appear in plain chest radiography (RX), as computed tomography (CT) and therefore is a diagnostic imaging.

Not accompanied by lymphadenopathy or atelectasis.  not fall within this definition because they tend to be cancer. Up to 90% of cases is an incidental finding, may appear in 0.2% of RX and its incidence is increasing since the introduction of CT screening population studies of lung cancer. The role of radiologists is essential in their management.

Among the most important objectives of the evaluation of the NPS are:

• The possibility of early diagnosis of lung cancer, as I do on stage of disease, significantly increases survival to about 70% healing in a type of tumor in which the overall mortality reached 80%.
• By radiological study, to determine as precisely as possible the chance of malignancy or benign image in order to avoid the higher number of aggressive tests for the patient. However, the definitive diagnosis can only be known by biopsy.

There are some clinical factors that are routinely taken into account in the study of a NPS

Factors associated with benign :

Stability of the nodule or two years (assessed by RX or previous TAC).
or Age below 35 years and above without risk factors as smoking, lung diseases related to increased incidence of cancer or exposure to carcinogens.

Factors associated with increased risk of malignancy:
or lung cancer increases with age, is rare before age 40 but increase from this age up to 80
or in a similar situation snuff consumption, women now have higher risks of lung cancer than males .
or history of smoking, with the number of cigarettes smoked and years of consumption, bearing in mind that although the risk of cancer decreases after quitting smoking, never equals that of never smokers .
or history of lung cancer or other location as well as lung disease: idiopathic fibrosis, pneumoconiosis, radiation, or connective tissue that is accompanied by vasculitis.
or exposure to substances such as asbestos, radioactive gas, uranium or heavy metals such as cadmium and nickel

The highest percentage of NPS is for benign nodules: benign neoplasms, inflammatory, vascular origin, rheumatic, traumatic, congenital or infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and histioplasmosis. About 50% are malignant nature. Among the malignant less than 10 mm in diameter, 41% are bronchogenic carcinomas in patients with no history of cancer and metastasis 23% .