Recognizing Lung Cancer Symptoms Early

Lungs and Lung Cancer

The Function of the Lungs

The lungs, two symmetrical and elastic organs nestled in the thorax, are responsible for capturing oxygen from the air we breathe and circulating it through our veins. They also rid our blood of carbon dioxide, a gas produced by our own bodies. When we inhale, the air follows a precise path: through the nose or mouth, it travels to the trachea, a tube-like structure that divides into two bronchi. One bronchus leads to the right lung, while the other goes to the left lung, reaching their final destination: our lungs. These two main bronchi branch into smaller ones, called bronchioles. These end in alveoli, sac-like structures responsible for gas exchange. Thanks to the presence of numerous capillaries in the alveoli, the oxygen entering during respiration mixes with the blood and can circulate throughout the body, while the carbon dioxide produced by the cells is expelled during exhalation.

What is Lung Cancer?

Lung cancer is a complex disease that can develop from cells composing the bronchi, bronchioles, and alveoli. These cells can form a mass that can obstruct airflow in the lungs or bronchi, as well as cause bleeding. There are several types of lung cancer, each with different characteristics. Additionally, the lung can be affected by metastases from tumors originating in other organs, such as breast cancer.

What are the warning signs that may suggest lung cancer?

The most recurrent symptoms to report to your doctor are:

• Persistent cough: A persistent cough can be a sign of a respiratory infection that tends to disappear after about three weeks. However, if a wheezing or catarrhal cough persists despite treatment with antibiotics and steroids, it is important to see a doctor as this could be a symptom of lung cancer;
• Changes in chronic cough: In heavy smokers, a prolonged cough is common, particularly pronounced in the morning. A more frequent, deeper, or hoarse cough may be an indicator not to be overlooked;
• Coughing up blood: Coughing up blood should not be neglected, even if it occurs occasionally but recurrently over time;
• Dyspnea (difficulty breathing): Dyspnea, also known as difficulty breathing, can often be associated with other medical conditions. However, if no other cause is known to explain this symptom, it is important to consider the possibility of lung cancer;

What are the symptoms of lung cancer?

Cough

It is essential to note that a cough, whether dry or accompanied by phlegm and possibly blood, is present in 70% of lung cancer cases. It is essential for the affected person and their doctor to carefully monitor its fluctuations in terms of intensity and duration, as well as changes in its characteristics - for example, a change from a productive cough to a dry cough.

Hemoptysis

This is bleeding accompanied by coughing; it can be sporadic or intermittent, even over long periods. This symptom is often underestimated in people with chronic coughs, as it is often mistakenly attributed to the rupture of small vessels in the airways caused by frequent and violent coughs, or to other pathologies.

Persistent chest pain

Breathing and movement can increase the intensity of these symptoms. In addition to a tumor, inflammation of the pleura caused by infections or metastases in the bones of the trunk or nerve roots can also be the cause of these symptoms.

Recurrent respiratory infections

If you often suffer from bronchitis or pneumonia, or if they take a long time to heal, especially if you are at risk of developing lung cancer, it is important for you and your doctor to pay close attention and perform specific diagnostic assessments.

Fever

In the presence of a cancer partially or totally blocking a bronchus, it may happen that the associated lung lobe collapses, creating a favorable environment for the development of an infection. This often manifests as fever, productive cough, mouth bleeding, and chest pain.

Breathing difficulties, shortness of breath, wheezing (dyspnea)

For the patient, dyspnea is a feeling of difficulty breathing, "shortness of breath", or a feeling of tightness and lack of air. This symptom mainly depends on the reduced capacity of the lungs to perform normal respiration. In short, breathing is labored, forced, accelerated or slowed, often irregular in rhythm.

Other symptoms

• Voice alteration that becomes shrill and high-pitched;
• Dysphonia: alteration of the tone of the voice, which becomes hoarse or two-toned;
• Dysphagia: at first, it manifests intermittently and the person suffers pain when swallowing solid foods, then it becomes persistent and can even occur when drinking liquids;
• Facial or neck swelling;
• Pain and weakness in the shoulders, arms, and hands;

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How effective is low-dose computed tomography (CT) screening for lung cancer?

Early detection of lung cancer is a major challenge due to the difficulties encountered. Screening programs have generated much debate and are considered crucial. However, research has questioned the effectiveness of some methods such as chest X-rays and/or sputum cytology performed periodically. On the other hand, a large-scale study conducted in 2002 by the American National Cancer Institute compared the effectiveness of spiral CT scans and chest X-rays, performed annually for three years, in the early detection of lung cancer. In 2020, a study published in a renowned scientific journal showed that lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography significantly reduced the risk of death in high-risk individuals. This method proved more effective than other diagnostic approaches, reducing false positive rates and avoiding unnecessary diagnostic procedures.

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