Non small cell lung cancer differential diagnosis
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Maria Fernanda Villarreal, M.D. [2]
Overview
Non-small cell lung cancer must be differentiated from other diseases that cause chronic cough, weight loss, hemoptysis, and dyspnea among adults such as tuberculosis, pulmonary fungal disease, lung abscess, and secondary metastases.
Differential Diagnosis
- The table below summarizes the findings that differentiate non small cell lung cancer from other conditions that cause chronic cough, weight loss, hemoptysis, and dyspnea.[1][2][3]
| Differential Diagnosis | Similar Features | Differentiating Features |
|---|---|---|
| Pulmonary tuberculosis | Chronic cough, weight loss, hemoptysis, nocturnal diaphoresis, dyspnea | In pulmonary tuberculosis, differentiating features include: resolution (or decrease in size) after medical therapy, patients age is usually younger, hemoptisis is an early feature, and CXR anatomical predilection for upper lobes |
| Lung abscess | Chronic cough, weight loss, hemoptysis, and dyspnea | In lung abscess, differentiating features include: acute or subacute onset, CXR anatomical predilection for upper lobes, and usually resolve with antibiotic |
| Pneumonia | Cough, fatigue, and dyspnea | In pneumonia, differentiating features include: high grade fever, good response to antibiotics, acute onset, predilection on CXR is consolidation, laboratory markers indicate infection |
| Fungal infection | Chronic cough, weight loss, hemoptysis, and dyspnea | In fungal infection, differentiating features include: CXR findings (air-cresecent sign), no response to antibioitcs, and mimcs tuberculosis |
| Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia | Chronic cough, weight loss, hemoptysis, and dyspnea | In chronic eosinophilic pneumonia , differentiating features include: parasite infection or medication exposure, and increased serum IgE levels |
References
- ↑ Bhatt M, Kant S, Bhaskar R (2012). "Pulmonary tuberculosis as differential diagnosis of lung cancer". South Asian J Cancer. 1 (1): 36–42. doi:10.4103/2278-330X.96507. PMC 3876596. PMID 24455507.
- ↑ Kamiya K, Yoshizu A, Misumi Y, Hida N, Okamoto H, Yoshida S (2011). "[Lung abscess which needed to be distinguished from lung cancer; report of a case]". Kyobu Geka. 64 (13): 1204–7. PMID 22242302.
- ↑ Matsuoka T, Uematsu H, Iwakiri S, Itoi K (2013). "[Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia presenting as a solitary nodule, suspicious of lung cancer;report of a case]". Kyobu Geka. 66 (10): 941–3. PMID 24008649.