What are the differences between pneumoconiosis and lung cancer in symptoms and chest X-rays?

As pneumoconiosis progresses, it may become "the immortal cancer" - pulmonary fibrosis, and it may also be complicated by other lung diseases. Among these, pneumoconiosis developing into lung cancer is also possible, while lung cancer develops from many kinds of diseases. In terms of symptoms, pneumoconiosis and lung cancer have similarities and differences, and the degree of progression can also be distinguished from them.

Pneumoconiosis

Early-stage pneumoconiosis may have no symptoms, or it may present with cough, difficulty breathing, and sputum production. In the middle stage, hemoptysis, chest pain, and other symptoms may be added, but there is generally no low-grade fever. In contrast, early-stage lung cancer already presents with long-term low-grade fever, obstructed breathing, chest distension and pain, cough, or blood in the sputum. In the middle and late stages, shortness of breath, neck edema, hoarseness, and other symptoms may be added. Moreover, lung cancer is metastatic and will present symptoms after metastasis elsewhere, whereas pneumoconiosis does not metastasize.

Simple pneumoconiosis also easily causes some lung infections and inflammation. Ordinary X-ray chest fluoroscopy makes it difficult to accurately detect pneumoconiosis; high-kilovolt X-ray chest radiography is needed. The chest fluoroscopy film of pneumoconiosis will show nodular shadows, large fused lesions, reticular shadows, as well as changes in the hilar shadow, changes in lung markings, pleural changes, and even emphysema imaging. If it can be combined with CT and other examinations, diagnosis is easier.

Central-type lung cancer

After various respiratory tract diseases transform into cancer, depending on the different nature of the lung cancer, diffuse-type, central-type, and peripheral-type lesion shadows may appear on chest radiographs. The central type is relatively typical, that is, it prominently shows a hilar mass, and after mutation the mass will include metastatic lymph nodes. Obstructive pneumonia, atelectasis, and the like may also appear.

Peripheral-type lung cancer mostly presents as round-like nodules and masses within the lung, and the edges may also show lobulated fine spicules, without calcification. If extensive nodular, infiltrative diffuse-type shadows form in both lung fields, it is most likely alveolar cell carcinoma. The nodules are mostly between 1-5 mm, and are evenly distributed with clear contours, and also have a tendency to fuse.

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