The Early Warning Signs of Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is called the “silent killer” for good reason. This cancer can often strikes silently, meaning some patients experience few and only mild symptoms until the advanced stages of the disease when the prognosis is negative. A scary thought when you consider that roughly 212,584 Americans, 111,907 of them men, are diagnosed with lung cancer each year, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While the early warning signs of lung cancer can be mild or almost non-existent, it’s vital that you bring any unusual symptoms to your doctor’s attention immediately so the cancer can be diagnosed as early as possible when treatment is typically more successful. Some treatment options include Zepzelca, Alecensa, Rybevrant, and ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) or ROS1 inhibitor, OPDIVO (nivolumab) combined with YERVOY (ipilimumab).
If you’re thinking of donating to some organizations, the best cancer foundations to donate to are American Cancer Society (ACS), National Cancer Institute (NCI), Susan G. Komen for the Cure, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Cancer Research Institute (CRI), and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).
The most typical early warning symptoms of lung cancer are as follows:
1. Persistent cough
A cough that does not go away should always be concerning, particularly if it only gets worse with time. Chest pain will often present as the result of deep coughing, or when sneezing or laughing.
2. Shortness of breath
A stubborn cough may also be accompanied by a sudden onset of wheezing, hoarseness, and difficulty breathing caused by shortness of breath.
3. Blood in phlegm
In lung cancer patients where the cough is prolonged and worsens over a long period, may notice rust-colored phlegm as the result of coughing.
4. Fatigue
Sudden and unexpected feelings of fatigue and weakness can indicate an underlying health issue, like lung cancer, and should always be brought to the attention of a health professional.
5. Appetite loss
Weight loss as the result of loss of appetite is common with many cancers, including lung cancer.
6. Recurring infection
Lung cancer leaves the lungs susceptible to other infections, such as pneumonia and bronchitis, that stick around and tend to keep returning.
As mentioned, many lung cancer patients experience no symptoms in the early stages of cancer, which means they might not notice signs that anything is wrong until the lung cancer has spread (metastasized) to distant organs. Later stage lung cancer symptoms include:
1. Jaundice
A yellow discoloration of the skin and inside the eyes. Jaundice indicates cancer cells are present in the liver.
2. Neurological issues
If lung cancer has spread to the brain or spinal cord, a patient’s nervous system will be in disarray, and dizziness, balance issues, headache, seizures, and numbness in the extremities can occur.
3. Appearance of lumps
Lung cancer that metastasizes in the lymph system or skin can leave the formation of telltale bumps near the collarbone/neck area.
4. Bone pain
Lung cancers can also spread to other weight-bearing bones (i.e., hips or femur) causing pain deep in the bones.
