How to identify the correct symptoms of lung cancer?

[LindaMa]

A cancer that begins in the lungs and most often occurs in people who have a habit of smoking but it is can be caused to passive smokers too.

Here are the symptoms to identify lung cancer:

1.A cough that does not go away or gets worse

2.Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum (spit or phlegm)

3.Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing

4.Hoarseness

5.Weight loss and loss of appetite

6.Shortness of breath

7.Feeling tired or weak

8.Infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia that don’t go away or keep coming back

9.New onset of wheezing

One can find oncologists for the treatments of lung cancer by searching on the Internet. One of such treatment include radiotherapy which is conducted radiotherapy centers such as Advanced Radiation Centers of New York. Before proceeding the treatment, website is a good option to look for such as advancedradiationcenters.co....

[JanetteR57]

Surprised it doesn't mention shoulder/back pain, difficulty swallowing and clubbing of the fingers - all now known symptoms of LC.

[Tershin in reply to JanetteR57]

My fingers are normal should I expect them to club I would rather know am stage 4 with initial diagnosis so don't know what to expect they don't tell you these things even tho I ask thanks

[JanetteR57 in reply to Tershin]

No, not all patients have all symptoms, not all medics are aware of the vast variety of symptoms, many of the symptoms can be symptoms of other health conditions and not LC which is why it makes it hard to detect early. What's important is that as many people as possible understand the many different symptoms as the main one people think of is coughing up blood which very few patients experience. Many experience back/shoulder pain which until recently wasn't listed. I also had difficulty swallowing and a dreadful sore throat (which as I had tonsils out aged 4) was extremely unusual for me.

[Tershin in reply to JanetteR57]

Thank you Janet for replying it is as you know like walking into the unknown I have back and chest pain but paracetamol seems to ease it thankfully ...I have no cough whatsoever yet ...so that's good 2 ...just waiting for all these things to start happening to me ...I am strong in my mind but sometimes I feel like jumping before things get bad ...

[JanetteR57 in reply to Tershin]

Glad to see that you're strong in your mind - we don't all experience all or many of the potential symptoms so not worth chalking them up! Dependent on our age and fitness, aching shoulders/painful backs, being out of breath or energy could be a myriad of other causes! I found a really helpful book ' cancer is a word not a sentence' that helped put this in perspective for me - it's by Dr Rob Buckman and helpful whether you're the patient or carer/friend. Take care…..

[Tershin in reply to JanetteR57]

Thank you

[Granscotland]

I also think that it should also be emphasised that there is a non smoker lung cancer too. I have stage iv nsclc with egfr + mutation and don't smoke and do not live in a smoking environment. Please, please stop suggesting lung cancer is always smoking related.

[JanetteR57 in reply to Granscotland]

Dependent on the study, up to 25% of LC patients have not smoked - me too, a lifetime never smoker. I don't have EGFR mutation either. I've not lived in a smoking environment either. Over the years I've been quite defensive about it not being just a smoker's disease - however i understand the science that there are different mutations due to the smoking that mean treatments can be different. I'm keen that general awareness is raised that if you have lungs, you can get lung cancer irrespective of smoking status.

[Lucylue8]

Good