Tabaré Vázquez: What treatments are available for the pulmonary nodule

The Uruguayan President, Tabaré Vázquez, announced Tuesday that he had been discovered a "pulmonary nodule "with a malignant appearance which will force him to enter for a definitive diagnosis. However, he said that he feel good and that he did not notice any symptoms.

For his part, the Uruguayan ex-president, José Mujica, stated what he had felt when he learned: "I have received the news as it is natural that I have not heard about it. Such news is received, it seems to me that he (Vázquez) indicated what was needed, what could be said. There is nothing else to wait for. "

A diagnosis, several treatments

In diagnostic studies, one or more nodules are detected in nearly half of those tested for lung cancer using low-dose CT. Most nodules does not require immediate action, and are monitored in the following annual routine badyzes. In some cases, the results may suggest the need for repeat the exam in a few months to see if the lung nodule increases in size.

According to the Mayo Clinic, nodules that increase in size have more likely to be cancerous. For this reason, the reference to a lung specialist (pulmonologist) to perform additional tests, such as a procedure (biopsy) to remove a part of a nodule in order to perform laboratory tests or diagnostic tests for complementary imaging, such positron emission tomography (PET).

Lung cancer is mainly caused by smoking. however, cases are also detected in non-smokers, but they are a small minority.

Protocols widely used in all hospitals follow treatment indications or limitations based on the following factors:

– Phase or stage in which is the disease (TNM).

– Type of tumor: microcytic and non-small cell carcinomas.

– Characteristics of the patient: age, diseases that hinder any specific treatment, nutritional status.

The treatment proposed by the specialist will not be the same in all patients. The most used in lung cancer are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.