Lung Cancer Signs and Symptoms

All major forms of lung cancer can be caused by exposure to asbestos, and it is estimated that up to 4 percent of all lung cancers diagnosed in the United States are attributable to asbestos exposure. Exposure to asbestos on its own can result in lung cancer, but smoking greatly increases one's risk of developing lung cancer when combined with asbestos exposure. Like all other asbestos-related diseases, the symptoms of asbestos-induced lung cancer can take decades to surface.

Patients who are suspected of having lung cancer should undergo a physical examination as soon as possible. A physician may ask the patient to provide a sample of sputum (matter from the throat and lungs) in order to test for bacteria, infectious organisms, and cancer cells. If a sputum analysis does not provide a clear diagnosis, additional tests may be needed.

In the majority of cases, lung cancer patients typically begin to feel symptoms when the disease has reached advanced stages. As a result, only 15 percent of lung cancers are discovered during the early stages of development. Individuals who have lung cancer frequently experience symptoms in the chest such as the following:

• Coughing
• Pain in the chest, shoulder, or back
• A change in color or volume of sputum
• Shortness of breath
• Hoarseness
• Recurrent lung problems, such as bronchitis or pneumonia
• Coughing up phlegm or mucus, especially if it is tinged with blood
• Coughing up blood
• Wheezing

If the original cancer has spread, a patient may feel symptoms in other places of the body. Some common places for lung cancer to spread include the brain, liver, bones, lymph nodes, and adrenal glands. Depending upon where the cancer spreads and which organs are affected, symptoms can also include:

• Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss
• Fatigue
• Headaches, bone or joint pain
• Bone fractures not related to accidental injury
• Neurological symptoms, such as unsteady gait or memory loss
• Neck or facial swelling
• General weakness
• Bleeding
• Blood clots

Anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek the advice of their doctor. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and claims more lives each year than colon, prostate, lymph, and breast cancer combined. However, most cancer deaths could be prevented because nearly 90 percent of them result from smoking, which, when combined with asbestos, results in a multiplicative synergism. Other risk factors that should be avoided include radon, secondhand smoke, and asbestos exposure.

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