Lung cancer usually has no symptoms in its early stages. When signs of the disease start to appear, they can include:
- Chronic, hacking, raspy coughing, sometimes with mucus that has blood in it
- Changes in a cough that you've had for a long time
- Respiratory infections that keep coming back, including bronchitis or pneumonia
- Shortness of breath that gets worse
- Wheezing
- Lasting chest pain
- Hoarseness
- Swelling of the neck and face
- Pain and weakness in the shoulder, arm, or hand
- Fatigue, weakness, loss of weight and appetite, fever that comes and goes, severe headaches, and body pain
- Trouble swallowing
These problems usually happen because of blocked breathing passages or because the cancer has spread farther into the lung, nearby areas, or other parts of the body.
When to Call Your Doctor
If you have any of these symptoms of lung disease, especially an ongoing cough, blood-streaked mucus, wheezing, hoarseness, or a lung infection that keeps coming back, see your doctor. You’ll get a thorough checkup, and you may also get X-rays or other tests.
Go immediately to the emergency room if you have any of the following:
- Coughing up a large amount of blood
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Sudden weakness
- Sudden vision problems
- Chest pain that doesn’t go away