Cancer Articles (Dr. S.N White)

What is a bronchoscopy? A bronchoscopy is performed with the use of a rigid bronchoscope or a fiberoptic bronchoscope, depending on the location. The doctor using this instrument can look into the bronchial passages. The bronchoscope is a slender tube with a light at the far end which slides down the throat and into the bronchi. Bronchoscopy sounds like a very uncomfortable procedure. Is it?  It doesn't need to be if you cooperate with your physician and the anesthesiologist. Local anesthesia is sprayed into the throat and bronchial tubes, making them feel numb. The bronchoscope is put into only one bronchus at a time, so you have no trouble breathing normally during the examination. You are relaxed and responsive to instructions and remain awake, although you will not remember much of the procedure afterward. Your head will be draped and your eyes covered. You will be asked to cough so that the doctor can obtain a good sample. What does the doctor see during the bronchosc...

Lungs: CYSTS, TUMORS AND THEIR REMOVAL An X ray of the chest provides a view of both lungs, an outline of the heart and of the diaphragm muscle, and all the ribs. Such an X ray may reveal changes in the size or configuration of structures or the presence of densities or shadows that are not normal. Modern X-ray techniques and the simplicity of the chest X ray as a survey and routine preemployment procedure taken in the asymptomatic individual can lead to early diagnosis of lung diseases. Not all spots are tumors. Some are infections, others are defects with which one was born, and still others are benign growths. Unfortunately there is a high incidence of cancer of the lung. All abnormalities disclosed by the chest X ray or brought to the physician's attention by a cough, wheeze or blood spitting require investigation. Any single abnormality of the lung can be due to a number of causes, either serious or inconsequential. Thus a lung spot may, among others, be a cancer, tuber...