In China, lung cancer remains the leading malignancy in terms of incidence and mortality rates. Early-stage lung cancer often has no clear symptoms, so most cases are diagnosed at a mid or advanced stage.
Lung cancer, as a relatively common type of cancer, requires us to gain a deeper understanding of it. To help raise awareness about lung cancer, we have gathered frequently asked questions about initial diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of lung cancer. Insights are provided by the invited renowned lung cancer specialist, Professor Yang Nong, a visiting expert at Hainan Cancer Hospital, to provide insights.
Should Patients Attend Appointments in Person?
Yang Nong suggests that patients attend in person. Some cancer patients, especially elderly ones or those with limited mobility, often allow family members attend the appointment on behalf themselves. Although this is understandable, it is challenging to make an accurate diagnosis without seeing the patient’s condition directly. If the patient is unable to attend due to health issues, I suggest recording videos of the patient walking or performing daily activities, with each clip ideally lasting over 30 seconds.
Why Is Lung Cancer Diagnosed at an Late Stage Despite Annual Check-ups?
Professor Yang Nong shows that this phenomenon is rare in clinical practice. Lung cancer progression will take two, three, five, or even ten years. So why do we still encounter such situations?
Examination Methods. Many patients undergo chest X-rays during routine check-ups, but one of the best screening tools for lung cancer is spiral CT. By the time an X-ray detects abnormalities, the cancer might already be in the middle or late stages.
Professional Health Check-ups. It’s best to have screenings in reputable hospitals, where you can receive professional advice on selecting appropriate and targeted examination options.
What to Do If New Symptoms Appear During Treatment?
Professor Yang Nong suggests that if new symptoms and signs appear during treatment that cannot be explained by other diseases, the first consideration is possible tumor progression; the second is drug-related adverse events; and the third is other specific conditions. A doctor’s professional judgment is needed in such cases.
How Long Does It Take for Lung Cancer Medications to Be Effective?
Professor Yang Nong: We classify them into four categories.
Immunotherapy
Some treatments may show effects within 1-2 weeks, while others may take up to three months. Generally, imunotherapy tends to work more slowly, so clinical trials often observe efficacy every 6-8 weeks (around 1.5 to 2 months), with some studies even evaluate efficacy every 3 months.
Targeted Therapy
If a driver mutation is present, targeted therapy can be very quick-acting, with effects visible as early as the same day or within 1-2 weeks.
Chemotherapy
The half-life of chemotherapy drugs is not very long; for platinum-based drugs, it’s around 30-40 hours. After 3-5 cycles, these drugs lose effectiveness, so efficacy should be evident within 1-2 weeks.
Anti-angiogenesis Drugs
These include monoclonal antibodies and TKIs.
In most cases, monoclonal antibodies are often used in combination with other drugs for anti-tumor treatment, making it challenging to determine whether the monoclonal antibody alone or its combination with other drugs.Generally, we consider it to have a synergistic effect (1+1>2).
However, if the anti-angiogenesis drugs are used to alleviate cerebral edema, they can take effect quickly.
For small molecule TKIs, the onset of action may take 5-7 days or longer, depending on the accumulation to a steady state.
Special Notice
On the morning of November 17, Professor Yang Nong will be available at Hainan Cancer Hospital for patient consultations. Please bring any past examination records.
From 13:00 to 15:00 on November 17, Professor Yang’s team will conduct a live educational session, offering accurate and scientific knowledge on lung cancer prevention and treatment. Interested patients can join the session to interact with the professor in real-time.
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Expert Introduction
Friendly Reminder
[Clinic Hours]The morning of November 17, First Diagnostic Area, Hainan Cancer Hospital
[Appointment Registration]Follow the Hainan Cancer Hospital official WeChat account, click “Appointment Registration,” and make an appointment
[Health Consultation] 13876807106
Patient Visit Requirements
To facilitate the expert’s quick understanding of your condition, please bring along the following items:
1. Identity card, medical insurance card, and mobile phone
2. Accompanying immediate family member (with decision-making authority)
3. Relevant previous examination results, organized in chronological order
4. Paper medical records from previous visits
5. Surgical biopsy specimens (slides, wax blocks, or 20-30 unstained slides)
6. Pathological diagnosis report
7. Hospitalization records and notes
8. Recent relevant examinations
9. The patient’s current treatment plan
10. A few of most pressing questions you wish to consult about