Dr. Sanderson shares how lung cancer is diagnosed.
Dr. Sanderson:
Lung cancer could be diagnosed in a variety of ways. The common chest X-ray, of course, is often the first clue that there may be something wrong going on. If there are either symptoms such as a change in cough or bloody sputum then it may be desirable to look down inside the air passages with an instrument, the bronchoscope is a device that allows us to look through the mouth or through the nose down into the larynx and trachea and examine the inside of the lungs.
It’s possible then to visualize any abnormality. If we see a tumor or a change in the normal appearing epithelium we can take a biopsy from that to make a diagnosis specifically using the bronchoscope.
About Dr. Sanderson, M.D.:
Dr. David R. Sanderson, M.D., practices at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, specializing in pulmonary care. Dr. Sanderson attended the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University. He completed his residency and fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
Visit Dr. Sanderson at Mayo Clinic