Signs of Lung Cancer – Learn Them For Early Detection
Signs of lung cancer are not found in the early stages. However it is better to identify the lung cancer at the early stages. Some of the signs of lung cancer are chronic cough, coughing up blood, wheezing and chest pain, bouts of pneumonia or bronchitis, and fever for no reason. Consult your physicians if you experience these signs whether you have cancer in lungs or not as the signs of of this cancer are also found in other diseases. If you are a person who is exposed to asbestos fibers, smoking, passive smoking, and air pollution for prolonged periods of time then you are likely to get cancer in lungs. The environment in which you live plays an important role in getting these symptoms. Examining the sputum, a chest x-ray, and having CT scans can diagnosis cancer. Another testing for this type of cancer is the use of a bronchoscope to obtain a biopsy sample.
Statistically, only about 15% of this cancer cases are detected at an early stage, and the cancer is eliminated. For years cancerous cells grow in your body without giving out any signs of cancer. Once you notice symptoms in your body, the advanced stage of lung cancer is present. One sign of lung cancer is hoarseness as the vocal cord is affected. Difficulty swallowing due to the esophagus being affected and pain in the shoulders are other symptoms.
If the cancer is in the mestastasis stage you may experience pain in the bones, and it would have spread from the lungs. During the metastasis stage if the cancer is spread to the brain then you might experience signs of neurological nature such as blurred vision, stroke, headaches, and sometimes loss of sensation or numbness in some parts of the body.
Hormone production called adrenocorticotrophic is done by the cancer cell, which leads to the production of more cortisol hormones by the adrenal glands. Blood testing will show an increased level of calcium in the bloodstream. Such signs can be categorized as paraneoplastic symptoms. One may also experience signs of a psychological nature such as depression. Weight loss, weakness or fatigue are also experienced in lung cancer patients.
Immediate attention during the early stages may prove to eliminate the cancer. Otherwise, treatment at an advanced stage will be treating cancer to prolong your life. Always consult your doctor if you experience any of these signs of lung cancer.
