Breast cancer

Abstract

Thoracic cancer examines the epidemiology, aetiology, and role of screening and prevention in the reduction of deaths from lung cancer, the majority caused by cigarette smoking. The pathology and genetics of lung cancer, with particular note of the driver mutations, are followed by the symptoms and signs of the disease. Appropriate investigations are described to stage the tumour. The optimum treatment for localised non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is surgical resection, followed in some cases by adjuvant chemotherapy. However, most cases present with disease too advanced for surgery, and for these chemotherapy and radiotherapy are appropriate. Metastatic NSCLC can be treated with platinum based doublet chemotherapy with modest palliative benefits. Metastatic NSCLC with specific driver mutations are amenable to control by targeted therapy. Locally advanced NSCLC is often treated with similar chemotherapy and radiotherapy, ideally administered concurrently, to achieve symptom relief but also improved survival rates. Short course simple radiotherapy offers symptom relief in patients not fit for chemotherapy. Patients with localised NSCLC who are not fit for surgery, may benefit from radical radiotherapy, particularly stereotactic radiotherapy. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is characterised by almost universal systemic spread, so that surgery is rarely appropriate. Staging is similar to NSCLC, and chemotherapy is the mainstay of treatment, usually cisplatin or carboplatin combined with etoposide. When possible, this is combined with concurrent thoracic irradiation covering all radiological sites of disease. Prophylactic cranial irradiation reduces the risk of CNS disease. Malignant pleural mesothelioma is caused by occupational asbestos exposure. Symptoms and signs, investigation and staging, and management are discussed. Thymic tumours, their pathology, presenting symptoms including paraneoplastic syndromes, investigation, staging and treatment are reviewed.