The Diagnosis of Lung Cancer

The best way to figure out whether a lump in someone's chest is a cancer is a topic of potential confusion to patients. This is because there are several options available to physicians. The best option is always the one that offers the highest chance of getting the job done and the least chance of causing a complication doing so. The doctor has to weigh the potential effectiveness of the lung biopsy method against the risk of a problem from the biopsy (like a collapsed lung). Sometimes the best method is to make the diagnosis during an operation designed to remove the tumor. All these variables change based on the location of the lump in the chest, its nearness to other vital structures, the level of suspicion that the lump is cancer, and how sick or fragile the patient is.

The physicians and other health care providers will use a good history and physical examination to begin the diagnosis process.

What is the risk that a lump in the lung is cancer?
What are the methods to biopsy a lump in the lung?
What are the lung cancer types and their importance?
Why does the sickness of the patient matter?