Depending upon the location and the stage/spread of lung cancer, early warning signs of lung cancer, and the actual lung cancer symptoms often vary significantly -as the following section indicates.

• If a major air passage is narrowed by cancer tumor, shortness of breath and in some cases, pneumonia also occurs.
• If the tumor involves a bronchus, persistent cough and coughing of blood (hemoptysis) occurs.
• If the tumor involves the surface of the lung or if it has spread to the ribs, however, it causes persistent chest pain. Typically, a patient feels sharp pain when (s)he takes deep breaths or coughs. This type of pain is called pleurisy, but it is also sometimes casually referred to as lung cancer pain.
• If the cancer tumor spreads to the brain, however, it often causes headaches, impaired vision, speech, balance, muscle power, muscle control or loss of sensation.
• In case of bone metastasis, persistent and localized pain in bones occurs.

If any of the above lung cancer signs are present, especially if the patient has a history of tobacco use, or exposure to second hand smoke it is advisable to seek medical advice right away. Even though most of the above symptoms (persistent coughing, etc.) are often present in other respiratory diseases (pneumonia, Chronic bronchitis, COPD, Chronic Cough, Chronic Bronchitis, or Bronchiectasis, for example), and in spite of the fact that these symptoms are not exclusive to Lung Cancer, it is very important that patient seeks prompt medical intervention. Usually cancer spreads rather quickly, so often the final outcome greatly depends on early detection of a cancer and timely treatment thereof.

Here are some of the signs and symptoms often present with Lung Cancer:

Lung Cancer Respiratory Symptoms:

• Recurrent episodes of pneumonia or bronchitis
• Persistent/intense smoker’s cough
• Non-smoker's cough that lasts for more than a couple of weeks
• Chest, shoulder, or back pain that occurs independent of coughing
• Change in color of sputum
• Increase in volume of sputum
• Persistent cough with blood in the mucus.
• Wheezing
• Significant change or restriction in breathing
• Chest pain (usually menifests in advanced stages only)
• Unresolved pneumonia, lung abscess, and chronic infection leading to Bronchiectasis (dilation of the Bronchi) suggestive of bronchial obstruction.

Lung Cancer General Symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Headache,
• Bone ache,
• Aches and pains in various joints
• Unexplained bone fractures.
• Neurologic symptoms (memory loss, etc.)
• Swelling in neck (possibly due to neck lymph node enlargement) if the cancer has spread into the lymph system.
• Swelling on face
• Weight loss (usually only in advanced stages of lung cancer)

If the lung cancer spreads to other organs, additional symptoms (depending upon the organs involved) may also be present.

Anyone experiencing these kinds of symptoms should consult a physician immediately.

Additional information available on: Lung Cancer Causes, Lung Cancer Risk Factors, Lung Cancer Early Signs, Lung Cancer Symptoms, Lung Cancer Early Diagnosis, Staging of Lung Cancer Tumors, Lung Cancer Treatment, Lung Cancer Vaccine, Lung Cancer Prognosis, Small Cell Lung Cancer, - SCLC, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer - NSCLC, Mixed Small Cell/Large Cell Lung Cancer, Asbestos, Asbestosis, Mesothelioma, Lung Cancer Caused by Asbestos Exposure, Pleural Mesothelioma, Peritoneal Mesothelioma, Pericardial Mesothelioma, Mesothelioma Diagnosis, Mesothelioma Symptoms, Mesothelioma Treatment, Mesothelioma Drugs, Mesothelioma Surgery, Mesothelioma Chemotherapy Drugs, and Mesothelioma Radiation Therapy.

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Note: Consult a qualified medical practitioner if you suspect lung disease. Information published at this mesothelioma lung disease asbestos cancer forum - or most other websites for that matter - should not be relied upon for health decisions. The information presented on this web site is not intended as a substitute for medical care, medical, legal, or professional advise. Please talk with your healthcare provider for all your health concerns.