What are the symptoms of lung cancer? Comprehensive knowledge of key lung cancer diseases

The first symptoms caused by the primary tumor account for 27%. The symptoms are related to the location of the primary tumor. Central lung cancer is manifested by irritating dry cough, shortness of breath, repeated pneumonia in the same location, hemoptysis or asthma, recurrent laryngeal nerve, phrenic nerve compression symptoms or superior vena cava compression syndrome. Peripheral tumors are more common in symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or pleural effusion. Large peripheral lesions, central necrosis, cavitation and eventually manifestations similar to lung abscesses. Common symptoms of primary lung cancer are grouped.

For many cancers, there are no obvious symptoms in the early stages, so it is not easy for people to detect it, thus missing the best time for treatment. Therefore, it is necessary to learn more about cancer. The same is true for lung cancer. If you want to detect lung cancer in time, you need to understand clearly what symptoms will appear when lung cancer appears.

There are usually no symptoms in the early stages. Almost two-thirds of lung cancer patients are already in the advanced stage (stage III or IV) when they seek medical treatment. 95% of patients have clinical examination results. Primary tumors, metastatic tumors, systemic symptoms or tumor-associated symptoms can all be the patient's first symptoms.

The first symptoms caused by the primary tumor account for 27%. The symptoms are related to the location of the primary tumor. Central lung cancer is manifested by irritating dry cough, shortness of breath, repeated pneumonia in the same location, hemoptysis or asthma, recurrent laryngeal nerve, phrenic nerve compression symptoms or superior vena cava compression syndrome. Peripheral tumors are more common in symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or pleural effusion. Large peripheral lesions, central necrosis, cavitation and eventually manifestations similar to lung abscesses. Common symptoms of primary lung cancer are grouped.

Distant metastatic lesions cause the first symptoms in 32% of cases. Common distant metastatic sites include: lymph nodes, adrenal glands, liver, bones, lungs, brain and chest wall, which produce some corresponding symptoms, indicating that lung cancer has reached the late stage, such as: tumors near the mediastinum can invade the phrenic nerve, causing ipsilateral diaphragm paralysis, and under fluoroscopy, the diaphragm position is elevated and abnormal respiratory movements are shown; invade the ipsilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing hoarseness, ipsilateral vocal cord paralysis and fixation in the median position; compress the superior vena cava, causing edema of the head, face and upper limbs, and venous distension; invade the pleura, causing a large amount of blood in the pleural cavity. Fluid accumulation, aggravating shortness of breath symptoms, or directly invading the chest wall, causing severe chest pain; lung cancer at the tip of the upper lobe is located at the entrance of the thorax, also known as lung sulcus cancer, which can invade and compress the brachial plexus, cervical sympathetic ganglia, and subclavian arteries and veins, producing a series of unique symptoms, such as numbness and pain in the upper limb on the same side, which gradually intensifies and becomes difficult to tolerate; atrophic changes in muscles and skin, engorgement and edema of the upper limb veins; and cervical sympathetic syndrome such as ptosis of the upper eyelid on the same side, miosis of the pupil, enophthalmos, and anhidrosis on the face.

10% to 20% of lung cancer patients have tumor-associated syndromes. The most common symptoms are small cell lung cancer and squamous cell carcinoma. Common tumor-associated syndromes include: pulmonary osteoarthritis syndrome (clubbing, bone and joint swelling and pain, periosteal hyperplasia, etc.), SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion), hypercalcemia, etc., as well as Cushing's syndrome, myasthenia gravis or male breast enlargement. About 16% of patients have neuromuscular symptoms, and some patients have skin diseases such as scleroderma and acanthosis nigricans.

The clinical manifestations of lung cancer are closely related to the location, size, compression, invasion of adjacent organs and metastasis of the tumor. The tumor grows in larger bronchi, and irritating coughs often occur. The enlargement of the tumor affects bronchial drainage. In case of secondary lung infection, there may be purulent sputum. Another common symptom is bloody sputum, usually with blood spots, blood threads or intermittent small amounts of hemoptysis. For some patients, even one or two episodes of bloody sputum are of great reference value for diagnosis. Some patients may experience symptoms such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, fever and chest pain due to larger bronchial obstruction caused by the tumor.

When advanced lung cancer compresses adjacent organs and tissues or metastasizes to distant sites, it can cause:

①Compression or invasion of the phrenic nerve, causing paralysis of the ipsilateral diaphragm.

②Compression or invasion of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing vocal cord paralysis and hoarseness.

③ Compression of the superior vena cava causes venous distension in the face, neck, upper limbs and upper chest, edema of the subcutaneous tissue, and increased venous pressure in the upper limbs.

④ Invasion of the pleura may cause pleural effusion, which is mostly bloody.

⑤ The cancer invades the mediastinum and compresses the esophagus, which may cause difficulty in swallowing.

⑥ Upper lobe lung cancer, also known as pancoast tumor or superior pulmonary sulcus tumor, can invade and compress organs or tissues located at the upper opening of the thorax, such as the first rib, supraclavicular artery and vein, brachial plexus, cervical sympathetic nerves, etc., causing chest pain, distension of the jugular vein or upper limb veins, edema, arm pain and upper limb movement disorders, ptosis of the upper eyelid on the same side, miosis, enophthalmos, facial anhidrosis and other cervical sympathetic nerve syndromes.

In a small number of lung cancers, due to the production of endocrine substances by the tumor, clinically non-metastatic systemic symptoms may occur, such as osteoarticular syndrome (clubbing of fingers, joint pain, periosteal hyperplasia, etc.), Cushing syndrome, myasthenia gravis, male breast enlargement, multiple muscular neuralgia and other extrapulmonary symptoms. These symptoms may disappear after the removal of lung cancer.

If lung cancer can be detected in the early stages, it can be effectively controlled through effective treatment. Therefore, lung cancer patients should actively receive treatment and believe in modern medical technology.