Description

Beckles et al listed clinical and laboratory findings that may be indicative of metastatic lung cancer. The authors are from the Royal Free Hospital, Middlesex Hospital, St. Bartholomew's Hospital and the Washington Hospital Center (in D.C.)


 

Clinical findings:

(1) unexplained weight loss > 10 pounds (4.5 kg)

(2) bone pain and/or tenderness

(3) pain in chest wall and/or pleuritic chest pain

(4) other musculoskeletal pain

(5) neurological findings including

(5a) headache

(5b) syncope

(5c) seizures

(5d) extremity weakness

(5e) change in mental status

(5f) personality change

(5g) focal neurological signs

(5h) Horner syndrome

(6) lymphadenopathy

(7) hoarseness (associated with palsy of the recurrent laryngeal nerve)

(8) superior vena cava obstruction

(9) hepatomegaly

(10) papilledema

(11) soft tissue mass

(12) elevated hemidiaphragm

 

Laboratory findings:

(1) anemia (hematocrit < 40% in a male, < 35% in a female)

(2) hypercalcemia

(3) elevated liver function tests

 


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