What are the first symptoms of lung cancer?
Question:
Answers:
Early lung cancer often does not cause symptoms. But as the cancer grows, common symptoms may include:
a cough that gets worse or does not go away
breathing trouble, such as shortness of breath
constant chest pain
coughing up blood
a hoarse voice
frequent lung infections, such as pneumonia
feeling very tired all the time
weight loss with no known cause
Lung cancers tend to spread very early, and only 15% are detected in their early stages. The chances of early detection, however, can be improved by seeking medical care at once if any of the following are the early symptoms appear:
- a cough that does not go away
- chest pain
- shortness of breath
- recurrent lung infections, such as bronchitis or pneumonia
- bloody or brown-colored spit or phlegm (sputum)
- persistent hoarseness
- significant weight loss that is not due to dieting or vigorous exercise; fatigue and loss of appetite
- unexplained fever
Although these symptoms may be caused by diseases other than lung cancer, it is important to consult a doctor to rule out the possibility of lung cancer.
If lung cancer has spread to other organs, the patient may have other symptoms such as headaches, bone fractures, pain, bleeding, or blood clots.-
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