Abstract
Background: Lung cancer (LC) is often incidentally found in inpatients with non-respiratory disease. Diagnosis and treatment are often difficult due to diverse backgrounds.
Aim: To evaluate clinical features and analyze contributing factors for lung cancer diagnosis in patients hospitalized for non-respiratory diseases.
Methods: Medical charts of inpatients referred to the Pulmonary Department for abnormal chest radiographs between 2010 and 2015 were retrospectively reviewed.
Results: Of 356 patients analyzed in this study, 101 patients (67 men and 34 women) were suspected of LC. LC was diagnosed in 55 patients including 22 patients with another concurrent primary cancer, and LC was ruled out in 37 patients. Bronchoscopy was performed in 27 patients, CT-guided biopsy was performed in 5 patients, and thoracoscopic biopsy was performed in 12 patients. Twenty one cases were stage 1 and 25 cases were stage 4. Thirty four patients were treated and 21 patients had best supportive care. All patients received CT scans, and average tumor size was larger (32 mm) in the LC group than in the non-LC group (16 mm). Positron emission tomography (PET) was performed in 49 patients and maximum uptake was significantly higher in the LC group (7.6) than in the non-LC group (2.7). Serum tumor markers CEA, CYFRA, and NSE were significantly increased in LC patients.
Conclusion: Patients with large nodules, chest shadows with high uptake on PET scans, and higher serum tumor markers were likely to be diagnosed as LC. Although referred inpatients had poor prognosis in general, many patients underwent curative resection. Diagnosis and treatment should be made promptly.
- Copyright ©the authors 2016
