Respiratory Cancer (trachea and lungs)

Generalities
The lung cancer is a disease in which cancerous cells (malignant) are found in the lungs tissue. The lungs are a pair of organs which their shape is like a cone and they occupy most of the thorax cavity. These organs provide oxygen to the body and also eliminate carbon dioxide, a waste produced by the cells of the body. The bronchi are tubes which are inside of the lungs. The trachea connects the lungs to the larynx and this one to the nose.
In the pulmonary tumors are included all the tumors that are produced in the pulmonary parenchyma, the pleura and the bronchial walls. The primary neoplasms are not frequent but in general the secondary ones are frequent (local invasion of other tumors in other organs).

Among the primary neoplasms, the most frequent are carcinoma, sarcoma and lymphosarcoma; among the secondary neoplasms, the most frequent are metastasis of breast cancer, abdominal organs and malignant melanomas. The radiography is rather important in order to establish a presumptive prognosis. In case of doubt, it is desirable to repeat the radiography a few weeks later. So as to have a precise prognosis, a puncture biopsy or exploratory thoracotomy must be done.

The tumors of the trachea are rare. They are rarest than the ones that affects the nasal fosses or the larynx. These neoplasms produce, among other symptoms, irritative alterations of the tracheal epithelium and obstructive alterations caused by its inner growth.

Clinical Symptoms and Signs
The symptoms of the malignant neoplasms are rather similar to the ones of any tracheal alteration: dry and unproductive cough, sometimes vomits and regurgitations whenever the esophagus is also affected.
In many cases, the cough, in pulmonary cancer, can appear not at the beginning but in the last stage or when the tumor occupies most of the pulmonary parenchyma (the functional part). At the beginning, it is not common respiratory difficulty, unless there were amounts of liquid typical of the stages of the disease and advanced processes, as well as nose bleeding (hemoptysis). There are also systematic signs of anorexia, weight loss, fiver, depression, etc.

Prognosis
The prognosis is rather serious. In asymptomatic animals and having the suspicion of pulmonary metastasis, control radiographies must be done to the pulmonary parenchyma every six months. In the case of tracheal tumor, the prognosis depends in the type of tumor, in the affected area and in the size of the mass. In general the prognosis is not good.

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