HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password

This Article Full Text Free Full Text (PDF) Free Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Personal Article Archive Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kvale, P. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kvale, P. A.

Chronic Cough Due to Lung Tumors

ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines

Correspondence to: Paul A. Kvale, MD, FCCP, Professor of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy, Immunology, Sleep Medicine, and Research, Henry Ford Health System, 2799 West Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202; e-mail: pkvale1{at}hfhs.org

Goals/objectives: To review the scientific evidence on cough associated with tumors in the lungs.

Methods: MEDLINE literature review (through March 2004) for all studies published in the English language, including case series and case reports, since 1966 using the medical subject heading terms "cough" and "lung neoplasms."

Results: Primary bronchogenic carcinoma is the most common lethal neoplasm in the United States. Malignancies that arise in other organs will often metastasize to the lungs. Any form of cancer involving the lungs may be associated with cough. However, cough is far more likely to indicate involvement of the airways than the lung parenchyma because of the location of cough receptors. Cough is present in > 65% of patients at the time lung cancer is diagnosed, and productive cough is present in > 25% of patients. While cough as a presenting symptom of lung cancer is common, many studies have shown that lung cancer is the cause of chronic cough in 2% of all patients who present with a chronic cough.

Conclusions: Bronchoscopy is usually indicated when there is suspicion of airway involvement by a malignancy. Conversely, bronchoscopy usually should not be performed to assess a cough for the possibility of lung cancer when there is little risk for lung cancer (nonsmokers) and when there are normal findings on a plain chest radiograph. If the lung cancer can be removed surgically, cough will usually abate. Radiation therapy, chemotherapy (especially with gemcitabine), and endobronchial treatment methods likely will improve cough caused by lung cancer. Centrally acting narcotic antitussive agents are usually administered for the control of cough caused by lung cancer when other treatment methods fail.

Key Words: ablative methods • antitussives • brachytherapy • bronchoscopy • chemotherapy • electrocautery • endobronchial treatment • laser • lung cancer • metastatic carcinoma (to lungs) • radiation therapy • surgery • stents

This article has been cited by other articles:

				R. S. Irwin, M. H. Baumann, D. C. Bolser, L.-P. Boulet, S. S. Braman, C. E. Brightling, K. K. Brown, B. J. Canning, A. B. Chang, P. V. Dicpinigaitis, et al. Diagnosis and Management of Cough Executive Summary: ACCP Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines Chest, January 1, 2006; 129(1_suppl): 1S - 23S. [Full Text] [PDF]