Posted on 2 August, 2011
Lung cancer symptoms wouldn't show until advanced stages of the illness. One fourth of patients discover the malignant tumor, as a solitary small mass called coin lesion, by accident while x-raying the chest for other reasons. The major lung cancer symptoms are coughing up blood, chest pain and shortness of breath. Lung cancer is the most deadly of all kinds. Specialists state that one out of every fourteen Americans, women and men, would diagnose the disease in a lifetime and more than 150000 victims are killed by this terrifying illness every year. This cancer was not common before the thirties of the last century but increased proportionally with the growth of the number of cigarettes smokers and the carelessness of companies that exposed their workers to asbestos. The major causes of this cancer are tobacco, active and passive smoking, exposure to asbestos, Radon gas and familial genetic predisposition. Patients develop lung cancer symptoms as the illness advances, due to physiological disruptions caused by the initial tumor and the metastatic tumors in other parts of the body: a malignant tumor would grow in the lung and spread to the surrounding structure using the bloodstream or the lymphatic system to expand. Inversely, metastatic cancers from other primary tumors of the body are often found scattered throughout the lung, most often in the peripheral rather than the center. In addition, to the liquid volume that the pleura produces to cushion the lung, a malignant tumor would squeeze the lung in the rib cage, therefore breathing becomes difficult, wheezing and painful. Coughing up blood is one of the spectacular and alarming lung cancer symptoms, is caused by tumor dying cells. Blood spitting is not specific to lung cancer symptoms only, but can also be attributed to other lung problems such as pneumonia. The illness might invade the nerves and cause a shoulder pain that travels to the arm. Hoarseness is one of the lung cancer symptoms that indicate that the disease invaded the vocal cords. The infection triggers fever accompanied with strong sweating and general fatigue. In most cases, patients would swell of their faces and arms. Besides, victims would excessively lose weight in no time. A physical examination would denote, in the case of lung mesothelioma, unusual masses of tissue under the skin in the chest and abdomen. One shouldn't wait until spitting blood but should consult a doctor as soon as he or she develops signs indicated as lung cancer symptoms. A persistent new cough or the worsening of an old one, pain in the chest, breathing difficulties and wheezing should be considered as serious signs and encourage to seeing an oncologist. |
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