When it comes to lung cancer, one pictures a patient coughing up blood or struggling to breath. While these are the classic signs, not all symptoms of the deadly disease are related to respiratory distress. In some cases, a specific location of lung cancer tumour could show up as shoulder pain. Lung cancer mostly affects people who smoke, however there are other causes of it too including second-hand smoke, exposure to certain toxins and family history. Two major types of lung cancer are non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer.
If you have been experiencing pain or weakness in the shoulder, it could be related to the location of the lung cancer tumour. Shoulder pain may occur if a lung tumor exerts pressure on a nearby nerve or if lung cancer spreads to the bones in or around the shoulder, according to Moffitt Cancer Centre. Many people may miss this, as shoulder pain could result from a condition completely unrelated to cancer like arthritis. People may also blame their bad posture for it.
Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both men and women in the United States. According to The American Cancer Society, about 226,650 new cases of lung cancer - 110,680 in men and 115,970 in women are detected, while about 124,730 deaths from lung cancer - 64,190 in men and 60,540 in women are observed.
Smoking remains the leading cause of lung cancer, but non-smokers can also develop the disease due to factors like air pollution, secondhand smoke, and genetic predisposition. Early detection through screening can significantly improve survival rates and treatment outcomes.
While it mostly occurs in old people, a small percentage of people under 45 also report it. In recent years, new lung cancer cases and deaths have been decreasing, partly because more people are quitting smoking or not starting.
Even if one is not smoking, lung cancer can also be caused due to second-hand smoke, radiation, and exposure to substances like asbestos, chromium, and nickel compounds.
The most common form of lung cancer mostly affects the airways leading into the lungs, with symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, and a persistent cough that may produce blood or phlegm.
Avoiding smoking, secondhand smoking and maintaining overall wellness can reduce risk of lung cancer.
Shoulder pain as symptom of lung cancer
If one is experiencing shoulder pain, according to a Mirror report, the tumour may have developed at the top of the lung, and can exert pressure on the nerves and blood vessels leading to the arm, causing pain and weakness arm and/or shoulder. This can often be accompanied by a persistent pins and needles sensation, reports as previously reported..
Sign of lung cancer in your fingers
There is another early sign of lung cancer that anyone can check easily. To check this, press your fingernails together, you must see a tiny diamond-shaped window of light. If you can’t see this ‘diamond gap’, you could have finger clubbing, which can be a sign of lung cancer. Finger clubbing is seen in 35% of people with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and in 4% of those with small cell lung cancer.
Apart from causing pain or weakness in the arm, shoulders, and sometimes the chest, the tumour may also obstruct blood flow to the head, causing facial swelling.
Lung cancer symptoms
A persistent cough that doesn’t go away after two or three weeks, a long-standing cough that worsens over time, or recurring chest infections could all be warning signs. Other symptoms include coughing up blood, chest pain or discomfort when breathing or coughing, ongoing breathlessness, persistent fatigue or low energy, and a loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss.
Other signs of lung cancer could be experiencing fatigue and weight loss.
People must also watch out for long-term lung infections that don't respond to antibiotics or other treatments as they could lead to lung cancer.
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