Many symptoms of lung cancer are non-specific, leading to further delays in diagnoses.
Since there is no widely recognized method of early lung cancer detection, unlike PSA for prostate cancer or mammography for breast cancer, 85% of lung cancer is found symptomatically.
Unfortunately, by the time symptoms are apparent and properly diagnosed, the lung cancer tends to be in an advanced stage—that is one of the reasons why the 5-year survival rate is only 15%, with nearly half of newly diagnosed patients not surviving the first year.
For more information on each of the lung cancer symptoms listed below, please click on the name of the symptom. Here are some common lung cancer symptoms:
Cough
Cough is an important symptom of lung cancer, but it is difficult to distinguish cough associated with lung cancer from cough associated smoking or cough associated with chronic lung conditions like COPD that has resulted from smoking. If a patient who had chronic cough, shows changes in the pattern of cough, possibility of lung cancer should be considered.
Shortness of breath
Again, shortness of breath associated with lung cancer is difficult to differentiate from the one that is associated with COPD. As mentioned above a change in pattern of respiratory difficulty should cause concern for the development of lung cancer.
Hemoptysis (spitting blood)
If Hemoptysis occurs in a patient with history of smoking, lung cancer should be suspected and appropriate work up is to be done to confirm or exclude this possibility.
Pneumonia
Many times lung cancer makes its initial presentation in the form of a newly developed pneumonia. The growing tumor may cause obstruction of the airways, and cause what is called "Post obstructive pneumonia ". Patients who develop pneumonia may be advised to get repeat chest X-rays to make sure that all the pneumonia is resolved completely and no residual opacities are visible.
Fluid in the lungs
Lung cancer may spread to the inner lining, or outer covering of the lungs (known as plura) and this may result in development of fluid accumulation between the lung and the chest wall (plural effusion). Development of plural effusion may result in increased shortness of breath.
Chest pain
Lung cancer can infiltrate into the chest wall and may cause pain in the chest. Development of chest pain in a high-risk person should alert the physician to the possibility of lung cancer with chest wall invasion, or plural involvement.
Bone and joint pain
Tumors in the apex (called pancoast's tumors, pancoast's tumor, pancoast tumor or pancoast tumors) of the lung may invade in to the surrounding nervous structures causing pain in the shoulders or arms. Tumors in these areas are difficult to be seen on a chest X-ray, hence patients who has symptoms suggestive of pancoast 's tumors. Tumors infiltrating into the diaphragm may also produce shoulder pain.
Change in the voice
Change in the voice pattern (hoarseness of voice) can be a symptom of lung cancer. This occurs more commonly with left sided tumors and happens because of the pressure effect on one of the nerves that comes from the chest to the vocal cord (called recurrent laryngeal nerve).
Wheezing
If you are experiencing wheezing and are at high risk for lung cancer, it is important to see your physician, as wheezing is an important symptom of lung cancer. Despite being a lung cancer symptom, wheezing is difficult to distinguish from symptoms of other respiratory diseases. If you or a loved one has recently started wheezing, or shows changes in the pattern of breathing, the possibility of lung cancer should be considered.
Coughing Up Blood
Coughing up blood is an important symptom of lung cancer, but it is difficult to distinguish coughing up blood associated with lung cancer from coughing up blood associated with chronic lung conditions like COPD that has resulted from smoking. However, if you or a loved one are coughing up blood, you should see your physician immediately, as it could be a sign of a more serious condition. If a patient who had chronic cough, shows changes in the pattern of cough of starts coughing up blood, the possibility of lung cancer should be considered.
Persistent Cough
Persistent cough is an important symptom of lung cancer, but it is difficult to distinguish persistent cough associated with lung cancer from persistent cough associated with smoking or persistent cough associated with chronic lung conditions like COPD that is often a result of smoking. If a patient who had chronic cough shows changes in the pattern of cough, possibility of lung cancer should be considered.
Productive Cough
Productive cough is an important symptom of lung cancer, but it is difficult to distinguish various types of productive cough that are associated with lung cancer from productive cough that can be contributed to smoking, or productive cough associated with chronic lung conditions like COPD that are often a result of smoking. If a patient who has productive cough shows changes in the pattern of cough, and is at high risk for lung cancer, the possibility of lung cancer should be considered.
Shortness of breath
Like many other lung cancer symptoms, difficulty breathing associated with lung cancer is difficult to differentiate from the difficulty breathing that can be associated with COPD. As mentioned above, a change in pattern of respiratory difficulty or other general breathing difficulties should cause concern for the development of lung cancer, particularly if you are at high risk for lung cancer.
Coughing Up Phlegm
Coughing up phlegm is an important symptom of lung cancer, but it is difficult to distinguish coughing up phlegm that is associated with lung cancer from coughing up phlegm that can be associated with many less serious lung diseases. Like nearly every other symptom mentioned, coughing up phlegm is not unique just to lung cancer, and can often be misdiagnosed. If a patient who had chronic cough shows changes in the pattern of cough, or is starting to cough up phlegm, the possibility of lung cancer should be considered.
Other symptoms
Lung cancer may cause other symptoms due to pressure effects. Pressure on the esophagus can lead to difficulty in swallowing (dysphagia). Pressure on the superior vena cava that returns blood from the upper part of the body to heart can lead to a condition called superior vena cava syndrome which is associated with redness and swelling of the upper part of the body. Wheezing and shortness of breath can be caused by direct obstruction of a large airway structure. Tumors close to the heart can infiltrate into the outer covering of the heart called pericardium and may cause accumulation of fluid between the heart and the outer covering of heart (called pericardial effusion).
Do you think you're at risk for lung cancer? Use this free Lung Cancer Risk Assessment to find out your personal risk or the risk of a loved one.
According to the NCI, if found early in Stage I or II the 5-year survival rate triples from 15% to 53%!
For more information on EarlyCDT®-Lung, the blood test to aid in the early detection of lung cancer, click here.