To diagnose either type of cancer, a doctor may perform an X-ray, a bronchoscopy or a biopsy. During a bronchoscopy, the doctor inserts a tube down the throat and into the airways of the lung to detect abnormalities such as visible tumor growth. If the doctor finds irregular growth, he or she may collect a cell sample and test it for cancer.
In a biopsy, the doctor removes a small portion of suspicious tissue and tests it for cancer growth. The doctor may be able to perform this procedure using only a needle and no incision. To collect a larger sample, however, he or she may need to perform a minor biopsy surgery.
Another test is performed only when doctors suspect a patient has lung cancer. In this test, called sputum cytology, the doctor collects and tests a sample of thick phlegm that the patient coughed up from the lungs. This test may reveal abnormalities like blood or cancerous cells in the phlegm.
