Symptom checklist
There are several ways in which lung cancer can be diagnosed. Some people only discover it during a routine check-up, while others may have had signs and symptoms for many months
It is worth asking your doctor to refer you for an x-ray or second opinion if you persistently experience any of the following symptoms:
- coughing
- bloody sputum
- shortness of breath
- pain
- repeated pneumonia or bronchitis
- fatigue
- loss of appetite and weight loss
- hoarseness
- swelling of face and neck
- digital clubbing (i.e. square swelling of the fingertips)
Lung cancer is a difficult disease to diagnose as it often spreads to other areas and organs in the body. It may be that the lung tumour does not cause problems to the chest, but it is the spread of the cancer to other parts of the body that alerts you or your doctor to the problem.