One difficulty in diagnosing lung cancer is the fact that in many patients symptoms of the disease are not apparent until the cancer is in an advanced stage.
Knowledge of lung cancer symptoms is important for everyone but most especially for those at high risk. Those individuals should contact their physician at once if they have any suspicion that they may have lung cancer.
Unsuspected Disease
Lung cancer does not usually produce any tell tale symptoms in earlier stages. Usually when symptoms do present they are related to the growth of the tumor or the spread of cancer to other areas of the body. In many cases, lung cancer is discovered when a chest x-ray is taken for another reason.
Without early symptoms, early detection of lung cancer is not possible, and as the disease grows, it becomes more difficult to treat and the likelihood of it spreading to other parts of the body becomes more likely.
Symptoms may show up but could be dismissed as a chest cold or some other common respiratory illness. Ignoring the symptoms or trying to treat them as a simple virus can lead to late discovery and spread of the disease.
Warning Signs
Lung cancer symptoms are usually similar to those you would feel with a common virus or infection. They include:
* Persistent cough
* Chest discomfort
* Shortness of breath
Being informed and aware is the best way to catch lung cancer symptoms early. Watch out for the following:
* A new cough that develops suddenly, especially if you smoke or used to smoke.
* A persistent cough that does not go away even with medication.
* Chest pain that does not go away
* Panting
* Hoarseness
* Frequent respiratory problems
Lung cancer symptoms can also vary depending on the type of cancer. Metastatic lung cancer tumors may react differently in the body and cause different symptoms. They can spread to the adrenal glands, the bones and even the brain. Most do not cause any symptoms.
Part of the reason why lung cancer has a high death rate is because it is very difficult to catch in the early stages.
Knowledge of lung cancer symptoms is important for everyone but most especially for those at high risk. Those individuals should contact their physician at once if they have any suspicion that they may have lung cancer.
Unsuspected Disease
Lung cancer does not usually produce any tell tale symptoms in earlier stages. Usually when symptoms do present they are related to the growth of the tumor or the spread of cancer to other areas of the body. In many cases, lung cancer is discovered when a chest x-ray is taken for another reason.
Without early symptoms, early detection of lung cancer is not possible, and as the disease grows, it becomes more difficult to treat and the likelihood of it spreading to other parts of the body becomes more likely.
Symptoms may show up but could be dismissed as a chest cold or some other common respiratory illness. Ignoring the symptoms or trying to treat them as a simple virus can lead to late discovery and spread of the disease.
Warning Signs
Lung cancer symptoms are usually similar to those you would feel with a common virus or infection. They include:
* Persistent cough
* Chest discomfort
* Shortness of breath
Being informed and aware is the best way to catch lung cancer symptoms early. Watch out for the following:
* A new cough that develops suddenly, especially if you smoke or used to smoke.
* A persistent cough that does not go away even with medication.
* Chest pain that does not go away
* Panting
* Hoarseness
* Frequent respiratory problems
Lung cancer symptoms can also vary depending on the type of cancer. Metastatic lung cancer tumors may react differently in the body and cause different symptoms. They can spread to the adrenal glands, the bones and even the brain. Most do not cause any symptoms.
Part of the reason why lung cancer has a high death rate is because it is very difficult to catch in the early stages.
About the Author:
Her name is Anne Durrel. She comes from California. She has written extensively on Lung Cancer . You may want to check out her other guide on cancer stages tips, and lung cancer facts guide!
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