Knee Arthritis Tied to Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Saturday September 8, 2007
Knee arthritis may be the first sign of non-small cell lung cancer. Researchers reviewed case notes of 6,500 patients who were evaluated at a clinic between 2000-2006. There were 296 patients with knee monoarthritis (arthritis in a single joint). In just under 2 percent of the patients with knee arthritis, the mild arthritis was accompanied by non-small cell lung cancer.
According to the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, all of the patients were middle-aged men who had been heavy smokers for most of their lives. Once the cancer was surgically removed, knee arthritis symptoms went away. About 85 percent of all lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer. This specific type of cancer is difficult to treat unless caught early. In one in 5 cases, the cancer spreads to the bones. By the time the cancer is diagnosed, it is quite advanced in half of all cases. Symptoms, such as knee arthritis, which may be the first indication of non-small cell lung cancer are very important for early diagnosis and treatment.
Related Resources:
- What is Arthritis in the Knee?
- The Cause of Knee Pain: Step-By-Step
- In-Depth Report: Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
- Knee Osteoarthritis: What You Need to Know
- Study: Rheumatoid Arthritis Does Not Increase Lung Cancer Risk
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Comments
Interesting article. This could possibly be helpful in the future but the link between the arthritis and lung cancer in this research is weak. Further research may be of some benifit.
Further research would definitely be needed to establish a significant link. As is typical with most research, small studies precede large studies. The connection in this study points to an early possible clue which would lead to early diagnosis and early treatment.