Have you ever thought about what signals the body will give us when lung cancer just forms in the body?
When many people mention lung cancer, their first reaction is cough, chest pain, or difficulty breathing, but is this really the initial signal of lung cancer? On the contrary, many people often do not have these obvious symptoms in the early stage of lung cancer.
The early symptoms of lung cancer are usually very hidden, and many people tend to ignore these seemingly insignificant discomforts, and there are countless similar patients.
They did not have obvious pathological symptoms at first, and these symptoms were sometimes even regarded by them as ordinary physical fatigue or minor illnesses and pains, until the problem became serious and they realized the seriousness of the situation.
So, let me share with you some unknown early signs of lung cancer, which are often ignored, but may be early signs of lung cancer.
Weight loss
A middle-aged female patient, about 40 years old, found that she had lost some weight in recent months. Although she did not deliberately lose weight, she always thought that it was because of work pressure and irritability that led to loss of appetite.
So, she did not take the weight change seriously, but in fact, this weight loss is not just due to stress, especially when the weight loss is not accompanied by obvious changes in diet, it is necessary to be vigilant. After a detailed examination, she was diagnosed with early lung cancer.
Many people may feel that a slight weight loss seems insignificant, but medical research shows that unexplained weight loss, especially in the absence of obvious changes in diet or exercise, is often an early sign of cancer.
According to statistics, about 25% of lung cancer patients will experience unexplained weight loss in the early stages of cancer. This weight loss is not due to poor appetite, but may be because cancer cells consume a lot of energy in the body, causing the body to be unable to maintain a normal weight.
Therefore, weight changes are not simply a "fatigue" problem, but may be a health warning. There are many reasons for weight loss, but if you find that you have lost weight for no reason without the intention of losing weight, especially in a short period of time, it is best to go to the hospital for a check-up in time.
Lung cancer patients often experience such changes unconsciously, but many people simply attribute it to excuses such as "stress" or "old age", ignoring its dangers.
Cough
There is a patient, a man in his 40s, who does not smoke and has no significant history of respiratory diseases.
At first, he just felt some discomfort in his throat, like a cold, but the cold symptoms did not completely disappear, but lasted for several months.
What's even more strange is that along with some slight coughs, he also felt some chest oppression, but he didn't care, and even thought it might be caused by using the air conditioner for too long and being too tired. It wasn't until the symptoms of chest tightness became more and more obvious that he finally came to the hospital for examination.
After a series of CT scans and imaging examinations, the doctor found abnormal changes in the lungs and diagnosed it as early lung cancer.
Many people experience mild coughs, especially in winter or when the seasons change. However, if this cough lasts for a long time and is not accompanied by obvious cold symptoms, it needs to be taken seriously.
According to medical research, about 50% of patients with early lung cancer will have a persistent mild cough, which is not as severe as a typical cold cough, but mild and persistent.
Over time, coughing may become more frequent, and even accompanied by symptoms such as bloody sputum. Sometimes, patients themselves do not think that coughing is a big problem, and often think that it is a "sequelae" left by a cold and do not pay attention to it.
Many times, the patient's symptoms are not suddenly severe, but continue silently. If the long-term cough is accompanied by other subtle symptoms such as weight loss and chest discomfort, doctors usually recommend further examinations to rule out serious diseases such as lung cancer.
Chest discomfort
There was a patient who was about 40 years old. He sat for a long time every day, had high work pressure, and felt a sense of heaviness and oppression in his chest for a long time.
At first, he did not take these symptoms to heart, because he felt that he was very busy every day and often worked overtime. It was not uncommon for chest discomfort caused by physical overdraft.
However, this sense of oppression gradually worsened, and sometimes even had symptoms of difficulty breathing and shortness of breath. Finally, after many examinations, the results confirmed that he had early lung cancer.
Chest discomfort is not always simple fatigue or chest tightness. Especially when this symptom persists and gradually worsens, we should be alert. Many lung cancer patients will feel chest heaviness and dullness in the early stage, especially when taking a deep breath.
These symptoms are sometimes not severe chest pain, but a faint sense of oppression and dullness. Just like this patient, he just felt a little uncomfortable in his chest at first, accompanied by excessive work pressure, but these minor physical discomforts did not attract his attention.
Medical research has found that about 30% to 40% of lung cancer patients will have chest discomfort in the early stage of the disease.
This chest discomfort is different from the chest pain caused by ordinary heart disease or stomach disease. It is often a persistent feeling of heaviness or oppression, especially when taking a deep breath or moving.
If the symptoms of chest discomfort recur, even accompanied by shortness of breath and shortness of breath, we need to seriously consider doing a lung examination.
Shortness of breath
There is a patient who runs frequently. He has maintained a good habit of exercising every day since he was young, and his physical strength is very good.
But in recent months, he suddenly felt out of breath while running and couldn't run anymore. After resting for a while, the shortness of breath still didn't ease. He thought it was because of his age and physical decline, so he didn't pay attention to it.
However, as the symptoms worsened, he began to feel shortness of breath when walking, and sometimes suddenly felt chest pressure. Finally, he had a lung CT scan during a routine physical examination, and the results showed that he was in the early stage of lung cancer.
Shortness of breath seems to be a small problem in our daily life, especially when doing some slightly intense activities, there will be some breathlessness. Most people think this is normal, especially for those who exercise or do physical labor all year round.
However, if this shortness of breath continues and gradually worsens, and there is no obvious relief even after rest, lung health problems should be considered.
Lung cancer patients may not feel severe pain in the early stage, but due to the location of tumor growth or the impact on the respiratory tract, resulting in airflow obstruction, this persistent and aggravated shortness of breath may occur.
According to the latest lung cancer research data, about 40% of lung cancer patients will experience shortness of breath in the early stages. This symptom does not occur suddenly, but gradually appears and worsens as the disease progresses.
If you find yourself having difficulty breathing during physical activity without obvious reasons, or even feeling breathless after a slight walk, it is best to go to the hospital for a lung examination as soon as possible to detect lesions early and treat them early.
From my many years of clinical experience, the early symptoms of lung cancer are not always obvious. Many times, they manifest as minor discomforts in our daily lives, such as slight weight loss, persistent coughing, chest discomfort, and shortness of breath.
These symptoms may seem insignificant, but they are often precursors to serious diseases.
Tip: The above content is for reference only. If you feel unwell, please consult a professional doctor in time.
