Overview
Malignant neoplasm refers to cancer. Cancers of the respiratory organs are a grave problem as they can cause the patient severe pain. Some of the following cancers are common in the respiratory, and other intrathoracic organs:
- Lung cancer
- Pleural membrane cancer (Mesothelioma)
- Bronchogenic cancer
Causes
The exact cause of cancers is not known, however there is a very strong link of Respiratory organ cancers with smoking. It is the most important factor in the development of lung cancer.
Some other causes that have been linked to respiratory organ cancers are:
- Asbestos exposure
- Coal dust exposure
Symptoms
The symptoms of respiratory organ cancers can be listed as the following:
- A new cough that doesn’t go away
- Coughing up blood, even a small amount
- Painful coughing
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Hoarseness
- Losing weight without trying
- Bone pain
- Chest pain under the rib cage
- Unfamiliar lumps of tissue under the skin on your chest
Diagnosis
After an adequate medical history has been taken, the following tests can help confirm the diagnosis of this type of cancers:
- Chest X ray
- Chest CT scan
- PET scan
- Sputum cytology
- Neoplastic tissue biopsy
Treatment
Treatment is very similar to that of most cancers, that is:
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Surgical resection of the neoplastic tissue
Which treatment option is chosen by the doctor depends on the stage of the cancer. Surgery is usually only possible for low stage tumors.
