Lung Cancer Symptoms
Lung cancer symptoms can vary depending on several factors, but main among them are: the place where the primary tumor is located - in bronchus (central cancer) or in lung tissue (peripheral cancer), the degree of excessive pressure of other organ by tumor body, the presence of metastases. The central lung cancer is characterized by the following symptoms:
* Cough (dry or with bloody sputum);
* Frequent, without apparent cause of pneumonia;
* Pain in the chest (usually in the area of lesion by cancer);
* Fever;
* dysfunction of breath (dyspnea)
Slightly different manifests the peripheral lung cancer. At the initial stage of tumor development the disease is almost asymptomatic. Sometimes these cancers are diagnosed during regular X-rays examinations. Only with the development of the disease (increase in the size of the tumor and the occurrence of concomitant inflammation of adjacent tissues), there are noticeable symptoms: cough, chest pain, fever, weakness. That’s why persons visit doctors in late stage of this disease.
Delayed form of lung cancer often accompanied by shortness of breath, caused by the accumulation of fluid in the lungs, resulting in consequence of the development of cancer pleuritis (inflammation of pleura).
Lung cancer rapidly spreads metastasis. If metastasis exists there may be additional symptoms. For example, if tumor reaches the mediastinum and regional lymph nodes, patients may experience: difficulty in swallowing and speech, cardiac tamponade,
Superior vena cava syndrome and other symptoms caused by compression of the chest cavity. Metastasis of lung cancer may affect other organs distant from the chest cavity. Most often it is - the liver, bones, brain, and kidneys. A characteristic feature of metastases is the rapid growth; resulting rapid progression of disease in distant organs. This fact should be considered when symptoms are not associated with lung cancer at first glance, such as: neurological problems, bone pain and fractures and etc. With advanced forms of cancer patient may experience loss of appetite, general weakness, subfebrile temperature, weight loss.
Lung cancer is quite difficult to diagnose. Often, the difficulty of diagnosis are lack of specific symptoms, which is typical for this disease. The first symptoms - cough, sputum, a dysfunction of breath - usually attributed to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (bronchitis, pneumonia). This is particularly true for the group of «smokers», for those the above symptoms may be natural and will not cause concern because they occur for months or even for years. Suspicion for the lung cancer often occurs only when the «usual» symptoms become «unusual»: changing cough (becoming more frequent, «night» or bloody sputum), shortness of breath increases, there is weakness, there is an unexplainable high fever, chest pain .
The following are the main symptoms of lung cancer, and if they are detected you should urgently seek advice from your doctor:
* Stable cough for long period of time;
* Pain in the chest, which is enhanced if you make a deep breath;
* Change in voice (hoarseness);
* Lack of appetite and loss of weight;
* Shortness of breath;
* Prolonged lung diseases (bronchitis, pneumonia), repeated lung disease for a short period of time
Also, the progression of lung cancer (metastases) may cause the following symptoms:
* Bone pain;
* Lethargy (weakness) in the extremities;
* Neurological symptoms (eg, dizziness);
* The appearance of yellow on the face and eyes
Should be particularly attentive to people who smoke because they are at risk for this type of disease