Lung Cancer: Symptoms
Lung Cancer: Symptoms
What are the symptoms of lung cancer?
Lung cancer often does not cause symptoms in its early stages. This is when it's small and hasn't spread. In fact, many lung cancers don't cause symptoms until they have already spread.
When early lung cancer does cause symptoms, they’re often like those you might have anyway if you smoke. For example, some early symptoms of lung cancer include shortness of breath and coughing.
These are some of the more common symptoms of lung cancer:
Cough that doesn’t go away or gets worse over time
Chest pain, which might be worse when coughing or breathing in deeply
Coughing up blood or rust-colored mucus
Shortness of breath
Hoarseness
Wheezing
Appetite loss or unexpected weight loss
Feeling tired or weak
Pneumonia or bronchitis occurring more than usual for you
Some symptoms can be caused by lung cancer spreading to other parts of the body:
Trouble breathing
Bone pain
Belly or back pain
Yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice)
Headache, seizures, or confusion
Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck
Drooping eyelid
Problems talking
When to see your healthcare provider
Many of these symptoms can be caused by other health problems. But it is important to see your healthcare provider if you have these symptoms. Only a healthcare provider can tell if you have lung cancer.
Updated:  
February 24, 2018
Sources:  
Overview of the risk factors, pathology, and clinical manifestations of lung cancer. UpToDate.
Reviewed By:  
Gersten, Todd, MD,Stump-Sutliff, Kim, RN, MSN, AOCNS