Abstract
Background: Lung cancer is the most common cancer in men worldwide. The incidence continues to rise in both males and females with wide geographical variability. Lung cancer has a high fatality rate. Early detection of lung cancer has better treatment outcome as early lung cancers can be operated. But the diagnosis of lung cancer is delayed due to many factors.
Aims and Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the current clinico-pathological profile and epidemiological trends in lung cancer patients from a single tertiary care centre with emphasis on given on gender association and delay in detection due to misdiagnosis as tuberculosis.
Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of the data of in-patients diagnosed as Primary lung cancer in the department of pulmonary medicine at SDSTRC& Rajiv Gandhi institute of chest diseases, Bengaluru, Karnataka from August 2015 to September 2017.
Results: Lung cancer study is still a disease predominant in old age males. Smoking is one of the major causative factors. In Non smokers, females and young age group (<40yrs) adenocarcinoma was commoner than squammous cell carcinoma.17 patients (16.5%) were mis-diagnosed as tuberculosis before the definitive diagnosis was made.
Conclusion: Due to widespread prevalence of tuberculosis, lung cancer poses a diagnostic challenge. A significant number of lung cancer patients in our country still continue to be misdiagnosed as tuberculosis. Poor diagnostic resources and economic constraints along with low clinical suspicion lead to delay in diagnosis of lung cancer resulting in poor prognosis and survival.
Keywords: Lung cancer, squammous cell carcinoma, tuberculosis, smoking, chest disease, diagnostic challenge.
Graphical Abstract
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