What are the common symptoms of small cell lung cancer

Small cell lung cancer is a type of cancer. Most people think that it is a disease that occurs in the lungs. In fact, it is a disease that occurs in the bronchi. The symptoms of small cell lung cancer are different in different stages. Let us now understand what symptoms generally occur with small cell lung cancer.

1. Cough: Cough is a common phenomenon. Most of them are irritating dry coughs. They may be persistent and have a high-pitched metallic sound. Cough is often accompanied by a small amount of mucus sputum. When secondary infection occurs, it may be accompanied by purulent sputum.

2. Hemoptysis: Most cases are blood in sputum or intermittent bloody sputum. In a few cases, severe hemoptysis occurs due to erosion of large blood vessels.

3. Chest tightness and shortness of breath: The tumor causes bronchial stenosis, or the tumor metastasizes to the hilar or mediastinal lymph nodes, and the swollen lymph nodes compress the main bronchus or tracheal carina.

4. Chest pain: The tumor invades the pleura, ribs or chest wall, causing varying degrees of chest pain. The tumor compresses the intercostal nerves, and chest pain may affect their distribution areas.

5. Superior vena cava syndrome: It is mostly caused by compression of the superior vena cava or, less commonly, obstruction by tumor thrombus in the cavity. It manifests as edema of the face, neck, and upper limbs, distended jugular veins, congestion and varicose veins in the chest, and may be accompanied by dizziness, swelling of the head, and headache.

6. Difficulty in swallowing: The tumor invades or compresses the esophagus, causing difficulty in swallowing.

7. Choking and coughing: tracheoesophageal fistula or recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis causes choking and coughing when drinking water or eating liquid food

8. Hoarseness: The tumor compresses or metastasizes to the lymph nodes and compresses the nerves. Hoarseness usually occurs on the left side.

The above are the symptoms of small cell lung cancer. I hope everyone will recover soon.