Steps to diagnose lung cancer

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Thien Quang - Internal Oncologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital

In Vietnam, every year there are about 23,667 new cases and 20,170 deaths from lung cancer. Screening and early detection of lung cancer is the golden rule to protect the health of yourself and your family. So, what are the procedures to diagnose lung cancer? Find out in the article below.

1. What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer is the uncontrolled reproduction and growth of abnormal cells in the lungs, usually the cells that line the air ducts. As cancer cells multiply, they interfere with lung function. These cancer cells can spread from the lung to the lymph nodes around the trachea, to the opposite lung, to the bones, brain, liver, and to other parts of the body.
Lung cancer is difficult to detect because there are no outward signs. If the patient is not treated in time, the spread of the disease takes place very quickly. It is a disease that can occur in any gender, at any age, meaning that everyone is at risk for the disease and is also one of the leading causes of high mortality in both sexes.
Therefore, the earlier lung cancer screening to detect the disease, the higher the effectiveness of the treatment.

2. Lung cancer diagnosis process

Physical examination: The doctor examines the chest and checks the lymph nodes in the neck. Diagnostic imaging: If lung cancer is suspected, a chest X-ray or CT scan will be performed and instructions will be given for additional services. The client's body will be beamed at different angles and the collected data is transferred to a computer to be integrated into detailed images. Lung cancer X-rays and CT scans will be done first to show the presence of a lung tumor. If lung cancer is found, the client will need some tests to check how far the cancer has progressed. This process is called staging and may require other CT scans such as the abdomen (through the stomach) and skull, or positron emission tomography (PET CT). PET CT is a combination of CT scan and PET, which uses a small amount of radioactive tracer injected into a vein to look for possible abnormalities in different tissues in the body. Finally, the doctor can confirm the diagnosis of cancer by taking a sample of cells from the tumor for examination, also known as a lung cancer biopsy.

3. Why should you choose Vinmec to perform lung cancer screening?

Where should I choose to check for lung cancer to ensure reliability and accuracy? Ideally, you should choose large, reputable medical facilities not only in the general hospital system but also stand out, leading in the field of lung cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Vinmec International General Hospital has become a leading prestigious address in lung cancer screening with the following outstanding advantages:
A team of highly qualified and experienced doctors. Comprehensive professional cooperation with domestic and international hospitals: Singapore, Japan, USA,... Comprehensive patient care and treatment, multi-specialty coordination towards individualizing each patient. Having a full range of specialized facilities for diagnosis and staging before treatment: Endoscopy, CT scan, PET-CT scan, MRI, histopathological diagnosis, gene-cell testing, .. There are a full range of mainstream cancer treatment methods: Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation,...

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