Most thoracic cancers are diagnosed when a patient reports unusual symptoms to his or her physician. For example, lung cancer symptoms can include:
- Persistent and worsening cough
- Coughing up blood or spit that is red or rust in color
- Chest pain that worsens with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing
- Being short of breath
- Fatigue or weakness
- Problems with lung infections, such as pneumonia or bronchitis
- Weight loss
Esophageal cancer symptoms can include:
- Difficulty or pain with swallowing, especially that gets worse over time
- Choking on food
- Indigestion or heartburn
- Pain in the chest or throat, or pressure and burning
- Vomiting
- Weight loss/ loss of appetite
Diagnostic Testing
For most patients, Chester County Hospital’s radiologists can perform all of the imaging tests that may be needed to make or confirm a diagnosis, as well as to determine whether or not the cancer has moved into other parts of the body. Examples include MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), CT scans (computed tomography) and PET scans (positron emission tomography). Patients often need to have a physical exam, blood tests, and lung function or swallowing tests.
Initially, patients with suspected lung cancer are referred to Chester County Hospital’s pulmonologists and/or interventional radiologists for biopsy (taking a sample of the suspicious tissue to test for cancer). Our physicians use endobronchial ultrasound or CT-guided biopsy to perform fine needle aspiration, a minimally invasive procedure to remove tissue sample(s). Most patients can have their biopsy done right here locally. In selected cases, a patient may need to have a surgical biopsy with Dr. Kucharczuk and his thoracic surgery team at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
Patients with esophageal cancer are usually referred to thoracic oncology after upper endoscopy with a gastroenterologist. This test uses a flexible lighted scope to examine the esophagus. These patients do need to travel to Philadelphia to have endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with the gastrointestinal surgery team at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. During endoscopic ultrasound, the physician inserts a specialized scope into the esophagus/ digestive tract to produce detailed images of the area using high-frequency sound waves. This is an outpatient procedure (it does not require a hospital stay).