Symptoms Related to Cancer in The Lungs A cough that persists over time, or does not go away with treatment is a common warning sign of lung cancer. Other local symptoms that can be caused by lung cancer include: coughing up blood (hemoptysis) difficulty breathing – due to decreased airflow by a tumor obstructing the large airways or spread through the lungs wheezing – caused by the interference of airflow through an airway obstructed by a tumor pain in the chest, back, shoulder, or arm – when a lung tumor presses on nerves around the lungs repeated lung infections such as pneumonia or bronchitis hoarseness No Symptoms Roughly 25% of the time, lung cancer causes no symptoms at all. These tumors are usually found when a chest x-ray is done for another reason. Occasionally, lung cancer is found when a smoker or former smoker has a procedure to screen for lung cancer. General Symptoms Associated With Lung Cancer Lung cancer can sometimes present with vague symptoms. Concerns such as fatigue, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, and even depression can be a symptom of lung cancer as well as many other conditions. It is important to talk with your health care provider if you have any concerns such as these, especially if you have a history of smoking. Symptoms Related to The Spread of Lung Cancer Sometimes, the first symptoms of lung cancer are due to its spread (metastasis) to other regions in the body. With lung cancer, the most common places lung cancer spreads are to the liver, adrenal glands, brain, and bones. Symptoms commonly found include: bone - pain in the back, ribs, or hips brain - headaches, seizures, weakness on one side of the body, vision symptoms Paraneoplastic Symptoms Paraneoplastic symptoms are symptoms related to the production of hormones-like chemicals by some types of lung cancers. These often show up as unexplained findings on lab tests and can include: low sodium levels (hyponatremia) elevated calcium levels (hypercalcemia) anemia clubbing of the fingers (bulging of the fingernails) new bone formation seen on x-rays Further Reading:
Posted on: Thu, 15 Aug 2013 07:55:49 +0000
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