What are the symptoms of lung cancer?

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, and it is responsible for more deaths than colon, prostate and breast cancers combined.

People develop two different types of lung cancer: small cell and non-small cell. Generally, about 13% of lung cancers are small cell and 85% are non-small cell.

Lung cancer mainly occurs in people who are 65 years of age or older; the average age of people when diagnosed is about 70 years of age. A small number of people younger than 45 years of age are diagnosed.

The risk for lung cancer is highest among individuals who smoke, and this risk increases with the duration of smoking and the number of cigarettes smoked. However, those who have smoked for many years can significantly reduce their risk for lung cancer by quitting.Other environmental factors — such as exposure to high levels of pollution, secondhand smoke, radiation or asbestos — increase the risk for lung cancer. People with HIV infection also have an increased risk.

People with a family history of lung cancer, as well as current and former smokers who meet age and smoking history criteria, may be eligible for annual lung cancer screening.

In the earlier stages of lung cancer, people may have no clear symptoms; often, signs and symptoms of the disease appear when lung cancer reaches an advanced stage.

These symptoms may include:

new cough that does not go away and worsens over time;
changes in a recurring or chronic cough;
coughing up blood;
wheezing, hoarseness, difficulty breathing;
chest pain;
shortness of breath;
unexplained weight loss;
bone pain or fractures;
nervous system changes;
jaundice;
swelling of the neck and face;
chronic bronchitis or pneumonia;
trouble swallowing;
swollen or enlarged lymph nodes;
loss of appetite; and
fatigue/weakness.

A person who experiences these symptoms should seek medical attention.

Many of these symptoms could be caused by other factors. Physicians rely on physical examination and other tests — such as CT scan, x-ray, biopsy or sputum cytology — to diagnose lung cancer.

Some lung cancers can cause syndromes, such as Horner’s syndrome (or Pancoast tumors) superior vena cava syndrome and paraneoplastic syndromes (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, Cushing’s syndrome, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome and paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration.)

Pneumonia symptoms

Some pneumonia symptoms are similar to lung cancer symptoms. Pneumonia symptoms vary from mild to severe and may include:

chest pain when breathing or coughing;
coughing, which may produce phlegm or bloody mucus;
fatigue;
shortness of breath;
fever, sweating and chills;
•nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; and
confusion or changes in mental state, which is most common in adults older than 65 years of age.

Bronchitis symptoms

Like pneumonia symptoms, some bronchitis symptoms are similar to lung cancer symptoms. Acute or chronic bronchitis symptoms include:

cough;
fatigue;
shortness of breath;
slight fever and chills;
mild headaches;
mild body aches;
chest discomfort; and
production of clear, white, yellowish-gray or green mucus, which in rare cases may be streaked with blood.

A physician should examine a cough if: it lasts longer than 3 weeks; prevents sleep; is accompanied by fever higher than 100.4 F, wheezing or shortness of breath; and produces discolored mucus or blood, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Additional information can be found by searching the following websites:

www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html

www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-symptoms.html

www.cdc.gov/antibiotic-use/bronchitis.html

www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/lung-cancer/symptoms-diagnosis/symptoms

www.lung.org/lung-health-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/pneumonia/symptoms-and-diagnosis

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bronchitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20355566

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lung-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20374620

www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pneumonia/symptoms-causes/syc-20354204

medlineplus.gov/lungcancer.html

medlineplus.gov/pneumonia.html