Symptoms of Lung Cancer
It’s important to report any unusual physical feelings to your doctor. Often, these unusual feelings can be attributed to other causes, such as bronchitis. But a doctor should check anything that is unusual or worrisome. The signs and symptoms of lung cancer can take years to develop and they may not appear until the disease is advanced.
Symptoms of lung cancer that are in the chest:
Coughing, especially if it persists or becomes intense
Pain in the chest, shoulder, or back unrelated to pain from coughing
A change in color or volume of sputum
Shortness of breath
Changes in the voice or being hoarse
Harsh sounds with each breath (stridor)
Recurrent lung problems, such as bronchitis or pneumonia
Coughing up phlegm or mucus, especially if it is tinged with blood
Coughing up blood
If the original lung cancer has spread, a person may feel symptoms in other places in the body. Common places for lung cancer to spread include other parts of the lungs, lymph nodes, bones, brain, liver, and adrenal glands.
Symptoms of lung cancer that may occur elsewhere in the body:
Loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss
Muscle wasting (also known as cachexia)
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