This is the story of lung cancer, (left top) from the tobacco leaves of Virginia, to the cigarette, a nicotine filled alveolus, repeated contact with epithelium, and malignant proliferation with compromise of the lumen. People of all types affected by the curse of smoke. The histology may be of the non small cell or the small cell type, but in either case malignant and space occupying. A cough is common with the clinical presentation and a mass frequent on CT. Biopsy follows with staging by PET scan, multidisciplinary conference, and therapeutic choices – surgery, radiation and or chemotherapy. Mortality is usually inevitable with this devastating disease, but there is always hope for a cure in early stages.
Ashley Davidoff
TheCommonVein.net
10296cc
keywords lung pulmonary disease introduction collage people grosspathology smoking
This is a collage of the usual treatments available for lung cancer. Top left depicts the XRT option while the Caravaggio of the sacrifice of Isaac is the surgical option and bottom right the chemotherapeutic option. (apoteek = pharmacy)
Courtesy Ashley Davidoff MD. TheCommonVein.net 31432c
Collage of cigarette advertisements of the early 20th century revealing a portrayal of elegance, feminism, and manhood. The advertising campaigns worked well for the cigarette companies but had a dismal result on health. The third image from the left in the top row shows a physician who states that “Luckies are less irritating”. 20-30 years later – some of the people who were influenced by the subconscious promise of elegance ended with the dismal inescapable existence of misery and pain as the consequences of emphysema and cancer wreaked havoc on their bodies. The habit persists and the problem continues to exist.
Keywords lung advertisement cigarettes subconscious effect fashions consequence lung carcinoma cancer emaciation COPD emphysema collage created from historic cigarette adverts and CTscan of a patient with lung cancer
Ashley Davidoff TheCommonVein.net 54458 78088c10.8s
The CTscan is from a middle-aged male with lung carcinoma in the left upper lobe (b in green) characterized by spiculated border (c) extending to the pleura, and an ipsilateral A-P window node (overlaid in green in d) and associated with profound emaciation. code lung cancer malignant mass spiculated A-P window node aortopulmonary node emaciation CTscan 3D volume rendering
Ashley Davidoff TheCommonVein.net 78088c038.8s
This is a collage showing the evolution of a malignant cell (1) into a nodule restricted to the epithelium (2) which with time penetrates the basement membrane and progressively extends into the submucosa and muscularis (3). Subsequent extension into local lymph nodes and blood vessels occurs (4) as well as growth into the lumen. As it grows circumferentially, narrowing and eventually obstruction of the lumen complicates the process (5) Space in tubular systems is limited and malignant growth has no respect for this space nor for boundaries. By definition malignant disease is space occupying.
Ashley Davidoff
TheCommonVein.net
32336c