Diagnosis for EGFR lung cancer
If you notice the symptoms of lung cancer, you’ll need to visit your doctor for proper diagnosis. When being evaluated for lung cancer, your appointment will likely start with a physical exam and collecting your medical history. Your healthcare professional may order imaging tests, such as:
- X-ray
- CT scan
- PET scan
- bone scan
A lung cancer diagnosis can be confirmed with a biopsy. That’s also how the cancer is tested for specific gene mutations. It’s now a routine part of diagnosing and staging lung cancer.
There are several ways to get a tissue sample, including:
- needle aspiration
- bronchoscopy
- lung surgery
In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) [3] approved the first blood test for the EGFR mutation in NSCLC. This test helps give a conclusion and provide an accurate diagnosis if there’s difficulty getting a tissue sample.