Experts share 4 'sneaky' signs of lung cancer you might brush off easily
Medical experts have shared some of the 'sneaky' symptoms of lung cancer to look out for - and as early detection is key it's important to take note.
Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the UK, accounting for 21% of all cancer deaths. Between 2017 and 2019, a whopping 34,771 people lost their lives to the disease, and there were 48,549 new cases diagnosed between 2016 and 2018.
However, if cancer is diagnosed at an early stage, when it's not too large and hasn't spread, it's more likely to be treated successfully. Now, health professionals, including Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang, a thoracic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and founder of the American Lung Cancer Screening Initiative, have spoken to Huffington Post to reveal four 'sneaky' tell-tale signs that could indicate lung cancer.
No symptoms
Let's begin with the most concerning point: People with early stage lung cancer can experience no symptoms at all. Oftentimes, it's not until the lung cancer has advanced to stage 3 and 4, that issues start to appear.
"That is why lung cancer screening is so important. Lung cancer screening can discover lung cancer at earlier stages when patients have no symptoms and are still feeling well, and when it is easier to treat," Yang said.
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Chest pain
Lung cancer symptoms can vary among people. "When lung cancers do cause symptoms, they can come from the effect the cancer is having on parts of the chest, which could lead to pain in the chest, coughing up blood or shortness of breath," according to Daniel J. Boffa, the clinical director of the Center for Thoracic Cancers at Yale Cancer Center.
However, he also notes that these symptoms are not exclusively related to lung cancer. "Most of the time when someone has these symptoms, they are related to something else, which makes diagnosing lung cancer so difficult, particularly in younger people."
Persistent cough
While coughs are not unique to lung cancer, a cough that persists for weeks (especially without other illness) can be a cause for concern. A persistent cough is usually associated with more advanced lung cancer like stage 3 or 4, Yang said.
A lingering cough can also be a symptom of pneumonia. Between 50-70% of people with lung cancer develop pneumonia (a lung infection) due to their weakened immune system.
Pain in other body parts
"Once lung cancer has spread to other parts of the body, it can cause symptoms in those areas, such as headaches, or pain near bones in the back or pelvis," Boffa said.
If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, it's important to visit your GP to understand the underlying causes and get treatment if needed. While none of them on their own are a cause for panic ― nor do they mean you definitely have cancer ― it's always best to get checked out.
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