What are the symptoms of lung cancer? Introduction to the most obvious symptoms and signs of lung cancer

Is the onset of lung cancer related to the patient's bad habits, such as smoking? However, what we should know about this disease is that smoking will definitely affect the formation of lung cancer. After lung cancer is formed, we should also understand what symptoms the lung cancer patients have. For this reason, our experts have made the following summary of some symptoms of lung cancer.

The first symptoms caused by the primary tumor accounted for 27%. The symptoms were related to the location of the primary tumor. Central lung cancer was manifested by irritating dry cough, breathlessness, 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 with symptoms such as chest pain, breathlessness or pleural effusion. Large peripheral lesions, central necrosis, and cavities eventually present similar manifestations 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 the symptoms of shortness of breath, or directly invade the chest wall, causing severe chest pain; lung cancer at the apex of the upper lobe is located at the entrance of the thorax, also known as superior pulmonary sulcus cancer, which can invade and compress the brachial plexus, cervical sympathetic ganglia, and subclavian artery and vein, producing a series of special symptoms, such as numbness and pain in the ipsilateral upper limb, which gradually increases and becomes difficult to tolerate; atrophic changes in muscles and skin, distension and edema of the upper limb veins; and cervical sympathetic nerve syndrome such as ipsilateral ptosis, pupil constriction, enophthalmos, and absence of sweat 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. There are also 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.

Whether to choose surgical treatment or not for lung cancer is also a question we need to consider. When treating lung cancer, patients will experience symptoms and require our clinical care. Lung cancer patients should correct bad living habits during treatment, such as quitting smoking and drinking. This is the best way.