Lung Cancer Symptoms
Common lung cancer symptoms include a cough, difficulty breathing, and loss of appetite. Most patients only develop noticeable symptoms when the cancer has started to spread. If you or a loved one has possible lung cancer symptoms, see a doctor immediately to get diagnosed and treated.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer?
As lung cancer spreads, patients can experience different symptoms. Common signs include issues related to breathing and pain.
- Coughing: Lung cancer patients often have coughs that don’t go away. Coughing up blood or sputum (phlegm) is also common.
- Difficulty breathing: Patients may find themselves out of breath after doing simple tasks, such as walking up the stairs.
- Finger clubbing: The tips of lung cancer patients’ fingers may become boxy or square-shaped.
- Infections: Patients may develop infections like pneumonia and bronchitis that won’t go away or come back despite treatment.
- Weight loss and loss of appetite: Lung cancer can reduce a patient’s appetite, causing them to lose weight.
- Advanced symptoms: Lung cancer tumors can metastasize (spread through the body) and cause symptoms like bone pain if they reach the bones, headaches if they spread to the brain, jaundice if the liver is affected, and more.
If you or a loved one has any lung cancer symptoms, seek medical attention. Health care providers can see if these symptoms stem from lung cancer or not and recommend treatments.
Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide to learn more about potential symptoms and how to afford medical care to treat them.
- Understand risk factors
- Find top treatments
- Pursue compensation
What Causes Lung Cancer Symptoms?
Lung cancer symptoms develop as tumors spread through the body, preventing its normal functions.
Mayo Clinic notes that patients can have difficulty breathing if lung cancer tumors spread into the body’s main airways. As the cancer spreads, patients develop additional symptoms and existing ones may worsen.
Doctors can explain how lung cancer is causing your symptoms and recommend a treatment plan after you’re diagnosed.
Asbestos Lung Cancer Symptoms
The symptoms of lung cancer caused by asbestos aren’t different from those that stem from other causes. They include a cough that doesn’t go away, shortness of breath, no appetite, chest pain, and difficulty breathing.
Doctors can help determine if asbestos caused or contributed to your lung cancer during the diagnosis process.
Symptoms by Lung Cancer Type
There are two main types of lung cancer: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Both types have similar symptoms, according to the Moffitt Cancer Center and Yale Medicine.
Common symptoms of NSCLC and SCLC include:
- Blood in sputum
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Cough that won’t go away/gets worse over time
- Fatigue
- Hoarseness
- Loss of appetite
- Pain in bones, shoulder, or other areas
- Phlegm
- Shortness of breath
- Trouble swallowing
- Swelling in the face and neck veins
- Unexplained weight loss
SCLC is more aggressive, so patients could experience a worsening of symptoms faster in these cases without treatment.
Symptoms of Lung Cancer Subtypes
Sometimes, patients develop unique symptoms if they have a subtype of lung cancer.
Symptoms of lung cancer subtypes include:
Adenocarcinoma is the most common NSCLC subtype. Adenocarcinoma lung cancer symptoms include swelling of the face, Eaton-Lambert syndrome, where the connections between nerves and muscles are attacked, and high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia).- Lung carcinoid tumors cause diarrhea, weight gain, and purple or pink marks on the skin.
- Pancoast lung cancer, a subtype of NSCLC, causes a group of symptoms called Horner syndrome, which includes a lack of sweating on one side of the face and a drooping eyelid.
Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide to learn about different symptoms and the treatments that can help you or a loved one.
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Lung Cancer Symptoms by Stage
Doctors classify lung cancer into several stages depending on tumor spread. Most patients don’t develop symptoms until they are in later stages, according to the American Lung Association (ALA).
There are different stages depending on which type of lung cancer a patient has. Learn about the symptoms that can appear at each lung cancer stage below.
Small Cell Lung Cancer Symptoms and Stages
There are two main small cell lung cancer stages: the limited stage and the extensive stage. Symptoms typically appear in the extensive stage.
![Limited-stage SCLC]()
Limited-stage SCLC
Limited-stage SCLC has either just formed or only spread to nearby parts of the body, such as the mediastinum (space between lungs) or nearby lymph nodes. Patients usually do not have lung cancer symptoms at this stage.
![Extensive-stage SCLC]()
Extensive-stage SCLC
Extensive-stage SCLC has spread through the body, such as to the opposite lung, bones, brain, and more. Advanced lung cancer symptoms and signs include coughing up blood, chest pain, and severe difficulty breathing.
Signs and Symptoms of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer By Stage
Cases of NSCLC can be classified into one of five stages (stage 0 to stage 4). Typically, NSCLC symptoms are more severe in later stages.
Stage 0 Lung Cancer Symptoms
At this stage, cancer cells are found in the top lining of the bronchus (main airway of the lung). Patients will have little to no symptoms at stage 0 lung cancer.
Stage 1 Lung Cancer Symptoms
In stage 1 lung cancer, a small tumor has formed on the lung. Most patients don’t have any symptoms, but some may develop a persistent cough, chest pain, shortness of breath, and lung infections, according to City of Hope.
Stage 2 Lung Cancer Symptoms
Stage 2 tumors may be slightly larger than those in stage 1, and the cancer could start to spread to nearby lymph nodes and organs. Stage 2 lung cancer symptoms include cough, pain in the chest, and difficulty breathing.
Stage 3 Lung Cancer Symptoms
The cancer has spread throughout the chest, and many patients experience symptoms. Stage 3 lung cancer symptoms include weight loss and hoarseness in addition to symptoms from earlier stages.
Stage 4 Lung Cancer Symptoms
This is the most advanced stage, and tumors have metastasized to the bones, brain, liver, and more. Symptoms of stage 4 lung cancer include limb numbness, headaches, jaundice, pain in the bones, and swollen lymph nodes, depending on tumor spread.
How Are Lung Cancer Symptoms Diagnosed?
If you have possible lung cancer symptoms, see a doctor and report your concerns to get a diagnosis.
When you meet with your doctor, be sure to tell them:
- Which lung cancer symptoms you have
- When these symptoms developed
- If the symptoms have been getting worse
You can also tell your doctor if you ever smoked or were exposed to asbestos, radon, or other toxins that cause lung cancer. Doctors can use this information to help make a lung cancer diagnosis.
“If you go to your doctor when you first notice symptoms, your cancer might be diagnosed at an earlier stage, when treatment is more likely to be effective.”
— American Cancer Society
Specialists use a low-dose computed tomography (CT) scan or a chest X-ray to conduct a lung cancer screening. If these scans find possible tumors, doctors can take a biopsy (sample) to check for lung cancer cells and confirm a diagnosis.
Treatment for Lung Cancer Symptoms
Doctors can treat lung cancer symptoms using two main options. The first is life-extending treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. These can shrink or destroy cancer tumors to help improve survival and reduce symptoms.
The second option is palliative care. Palliative lung cancer treatments work to ease symptoms so patients can have the best quality of life possible.
Palliative treatments for lung cancer symptoms include:
- Fluid draining options like paracentesis and thoracentesis
- Nutritional counseling and supplements
- Pain-relieving medications
- Supplemental oxygen
- Therapy services like counseling
Palliative lung cancer treatments can be used alongside life-extending ones or may be the main therapies if you have late-stage cancer.
Get our Free Lung Cancer Guide now to find treatments that can ease symptoms and improve your survival time.
- Understand risk factors
- Find top treatments
- Pursue compensation
Get Help for Lung Cancer Symptoms
If you’re suffering from possible lung cancer symptoms, get medical care as soon as possible. By connecting with top doctors, you can access treatments to ease symptoms of lung cancer and possibly become a survivor.
Lung Cancer Group may also be able to help you if you have symptoms of lung cancer.
Our team can assist with:
- Affording medical costs and other expenses
- Exploring the best treatments for your symptoms
- Getting the support you need
Get started by calling (877) 446-5767 or getting our Free Lung Cancer Guide .
Lung Cancer Symptoms FAQs
What are the first symptoms of lung cancer?
Common symptoms of lung cancer include a worsening cough, chest pain, fatigue, and difficulty breathing.
These symptoms may be mild or vague at first, but worsen over time without treatment as the tumors spread through the body.
What are stage 3B lung cancer symptoms?
Stage 3A and 3B are the two substages of stage 3 lung cancer. Stage 3B lung cancer symptoms may include coughing up blood, weight loss, and recurring lung infections.
Stage 3 marks the point when many lung cancer patients start to notice symptoms. You won’t know if you have stage 3B lung cancer from your symptoms, though. A doctor will need to conduct diagnostic tests to determine the stage.
Contact our team now for help if you have possible stage 3B lung cancer symptoms.
What are the first common signs of lung cancer?
Some of the first lung cancer signs and symptoms include infections or a cough that won’t go away despite treatment, according to Cleveland Clinic.
If you’re suffering from potential early symptoms of lung cancer and smoke, used to smoke, or were exposed to cancer-causing substances like asbestos, see a doctor.
Can I live a normal life with lung cancer?
Yes, it may be possible to live a normal life with lung cancer depending on how your body responds to different treatment options.
Cancer care teams use a wide range of therapies to help manage uncomfortable symptoms and potentially allow you to live longer. In some cases, lung cancer survivors have lived for decades symptom-free thanks to treatments.
What are the differences between lung cancer and mesothelioma symptoms?
Lung cancer shares many symptoms with pleural mesothelioma, a cancer that affects the lining of the lungs. Symptoms shared by both illnesses include shortness of breath, a lingering cough, and weight loss.
However, mesothelioma can develop in other parts of the body besides the lung lining. Patients may experience symptoms that are very different from those of lung cancer, such as abdominal swelling and constipation.
Call (877) 446-5767 for help finding and affording treatments for symptoms of lung cancer or mesothelioma.
Is lung cancer painful?
The symptoms of lung cancer can be painful if they aren’t managed. However, doctors can recommend palliative treatments to help you feel as comfortable as possible.
Palliative care can be used alongside major treatments aimed at improving your life expectancy, or it may be the main therapy used in advanced cases.
