Changes in the respiratory tract are common – they often frighten those affected. In order to detect lung cancer at an early stage, doctors at the Ruhrlandklinik Essen work with high-tech diagnostic procedures.
The path to the goal is not far, but it is dangerous. Faustina Funke has planned it carefully. On a Friday morning at 10:25 a.m., the senior physician is standing in an operating room at the Ruhrlandklinik Essen. In front of her lies the patient, an elderly lady; she has been given a general anesthetic, a ventilator is forcing air into her lungs. Funke, who is not very tall, is standing slightly elevated on a step so that she can insert the endoscope first into the trachea and then into the bronchus of the right lung. 21 centimeters deep. Up to the conspicuous spot that scares patient Anna Hellmann* and from which Faustina Funke wants to take tissue samples that morning. Doctors call such suspicious spots “round spots.” Most patients speak of a shadow on the lung. Anna Hellmann wants to be sure whether the shadow is a harmless inflammation or a dangerous lung carcinoma.
Source: Stern
I’m Caroline, a journalist and author for 24 Hours Worlds. I specialize in health-related news and stories, bringing real-world impact to readers across the globe. With my experience in journalism and writing in both print and online formats, I strive to provide reliable information that resonates with audiences from all walks of life.
