To help find the cause of symptoms, your doctor will evaluate
your medical history, smoking history, exposure to environmental
and occupational substances, and family history of cancer. Your
doctor will perform a physical exam and may recommend a chest
X-ray, computed tomography (CT) scan and other tests. If lung
cancer is suspected, sputum cytology — the microscopic
examination of cells obtained from a deep-cough sample of mucus
in the lungs — is a simple test that may be useful in detecting
lung cancer. To confirm the presence of lung cancer, your doctor
must examine tissue. A biopsy — the removal of a small sample of
tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist — can
determine if you have cancer. A number of procedures may be used
to obtain this tissue: - Bronchoscopy — A bronchoscope, a thin,
lighted tube, is put into your mouth or nose and down your
windpipe to look into the breathing passages. Through this tube,
your doctor can collect cells or small samples of tissue. -
Needle Aspiration