Lung Cancer: Symptoms, Causes, Complications & Prevention

Lung cancer is one cancer that does not have a high early diagnosis rate, which leads to many patients suffering from its negative effects before they even understand what it is. It is a cancer that needs early detection for a better prognosis – understand why lung cancer usually goes undiagnosed for a long time and what are the symptoms that can diagnose a person at an early stage. There are many lung cancer symptoms which will be discussed in this article below.

Why lung cancer symptoms get ignored

There are two main reasons why lung cancer is not detected on time or the symptoms of lung cancer are ignored:

• Vague lung cancer symptoms – A major obstacle to identifying the symptoms of this cancer is the fact that most of the symptoms are nonspecific. They can easily be mistaken for common respiratory problems. It doesn't set off an alarm in the patient that it could be more dangerous. The key lies in paying attention to chest symptoms that do not go away after a reasonable amount of time and getting treated.
• Patient Blame – A sad yet true condition that affects many patients, they feel guilty and hopeless about any negative effects on their health that they attribute to their own poor lifestyle choices, ie smoking. While most cancers have some lifestyle cause, lung cancer is one that patients feel they inflict on themselves. This feeling of guilt sometimes does not motivate many people to take quick action.

Symptoms of lung cancer

The following symptoms may indicate a developed cancer in the lungs:

1. Persistent cough

This is usually the first sign of lung cancer. A cold or respiratory tract infection makes a cough go away in a few weeks, but if the cough fails to go away, one should consult a doctor. Smokers usually have a chronic cough that is deeper and more intense – it is easy to dismiss a cough if a person has had it for so long. However, once coughing up blood begins, it could indicate cancer.

2. Blood from the mouth

When blood starts coming out of the mouth when the patient coughs, also known as hematuria, is a late symptom of lung cancer . However, the patient should probably be referred to a pulmonologist or cancer specialist.

3. Shortness of breath

Simple tasks or tasks that were easily done before but can no longer indicate cancer while shortness of breath is occurring. A lung tumor can block or narrow the airways in the cyst or fill the chest with fluid. It's a subtle symptom that's easy to miss, but if a person starts panting while doing a very basic task, it's time to get checked.

Also, read about: Cancer Symptoms

4. Chest pain

A cancer in the lung can cause chest pain that is also felt in the back or shoulders or bones. If the chest pain does not disappear after adequate rest, it should be seen by a doctor.

5. Hoarseness or change in voice

A wheezing sound may occur from the lungs each time a person breathes in, or may be a sign of cancerous growth in the airways. Similarly, if a person suddenly developed a hoarse or deep voice, one might dismiss this as a side effect of a cold, but is the cold clear but not the voice? It is time to investigate this.

6. Recurrent Chest Infections

A pneumonia or bronchitis that does not respond well to treatment or keeps returning often may be more than a simple chest infection. This can be a sign of poor lung function or a bad cancer.

7. Other Common Symptoms That May Indicate Lung Problems

Weakness, loss of appetite, fatigue and weight loss are such common symptoms that one may miss them. Persistent presence of these symptoms could be cancer.

It is important for people to know that although lung cancer symptoms may not be as easy to recognize as some others, keeping track of one's respiratory health, especially if a person is at high risk, can enable early diagnosis. Seek timely intervention for a positive prognosis!