Learn to Identify the Warning Signs
A lung cancer cough can be wet or dry.
It may come in fits or spasms.
In later stages, coughing may bring up blood or blood-tinged mucus.
Verywell / Emily Roberts
Lung cancer coughs are chronic, lasting two months or longer.
While lung cancer is certainly not the most commoncause of a chronic cough, it is a possibility.
And it’s important to note that lung cancer can affect smokers andnever-smokersalike.
Since lung cancer is most treatable in its early stages, finding it as early as possible is critical.
This is why it’s important to see your healthcare provider if you have a persistent cough.
What sets it apart from other coughs is how long it lasts.
This means they last longer than eight consecutive weeks.
Many people with lung cancer say that their cough “just won’t go away.”
Smokers can develop a chronic cough, known as “smoker’s cough.”
While not all cases of smoker’s cough are related to lung cancer, some may be.
At least half of people diagnosed with lung cancer have achronic coughat the time of diagnosis.
But any amount of bloody sputum should be evaluated carefully by your healthcare provider.
This research found the following to be independently predictive of lung cancer.
Shortness of Breath
Early on, shortness of breath (dyspnea) is very subtle.
It is often noted only with activity, such as climbing stairs.
The symptom progressively gets worse over time.
Unexplained Weight Loss
Losing weight when you are not trying tomay be a symptom of lung cancer.
That is roughly 7.5 pounds in a 150-pound person.
There are several other serious causes for this.
Repeated infections such aspneumoniaandbronchitisare, in fact, common before lung cancer is diagnosed.
What’s interesting is that, oftentimes, very few symptoms of withdrawal occur.
It could be that some lung cancers produce chemicals that decrease the addictiveness of nicotine.
And for people who have smoked, having other risk factors may be more than additive.
The following are some risk factors of lung cancer to be aware of.
It’s thought that radon levels are elevated in one in 15 homes in the United States.
Get your hometested for radon, if you haven’t already.
This pop in of exposure is considered a factor in about 3% of lung cancers in men.
Acomputerized tomography (CT) scanis needed if there is any concern.
It can’t be overstated thatchest X-rays can miss lung cancer.
If your symptoms persist and you dont have an explanation, consider getting asecond opinion.
Keep in mind that this is not a substitute for a medical evaluation.
And as results are solely based on statistics, it may over- or underestimate your personal risk.
Should You Be Screened?
For those who have smoked in the past, lung cancer screening may be an option.
A Word From Verywell
Any chronic cough should be checked out by a healthcare provider.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lung cancer basics.
2017;12(4):e0175125.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0175125
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Lung cancer symptoms.
Cataldo JK, Dubey S, Prochaska JJ.Smoking cessation: An integral part of lung cancer treatment.Oncology.
2010;78(5-6):289-301. doi:10.1159/000319937
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Lung cancer risk factors.
American Cancer Society.Health benefits of quitting smoking over time.
American Lung Association.Lung cancer trends brief: Mortality.
National Cancer Institute.Radon and cancer.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About secondhand smoke.
Kanwal M, Ding X-J, Cao Y.Familial risk for lung cancer.Oncol Lett.
A clinical, cluster-randomised trial.Danish Medical Journal.
2015;62(3):pii:B5027.
68(5):451-9. doi:10.1136/thoraxjnl-2012-202348
