Symptoms of lung cancer

People seldom have symptoms from lung cancer until they have spread, even though some with early lung cancer do.  By seeing your doctor when you first notice symptoms will give you an early diagnosis, and treatment is more likely to be effective.  The American Cancer Society gives more information on the signs and symptoms of this disease.

Many of the common symptoms are likely to be caused by something other than lung cancer.  The most common symptoms of lung cancer are:

• A cough that does not go away or gets worse
• Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum or phlegm
• Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing or laughing
• Hoarseness
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplained weight loss
• Shortness of breath
• Feeling tired or weak
• Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that won’t go away or keep coming back
• New onset of wheezing

If lung cancer does spread to other parts of the body it may cause:

• Nervous system changes (such as headache, weakness or numbness of an arm or leg, dizziness, balance problems, or seizures), from cancer spread to the brain
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), from cancer spread to the liver
• Swelling of lymph nodes (collection of immune system cells) such as those in the neck or above the collarbone
• Bone pain, such as pain in the back or hips

Some syndromes can be caused by lung cancers such as Horner syndrome, Superior vena cava syndrome, and Paraneoplastic syndromes.  Many of these symptoms are likely to be caused by something other than lung cancer, but if you have any of these problems, be sure to consult with your doctor right away.  It’s important that the cause is found and can be treated immediately, if needed.

Dr Fredda Branyon