Can repeated pneumonia turn into lung cancer?

Can repeated pneumonia turn into lung cancer? Lung cancer is relatively hidden when it occurs. Many people who appear completely healthy may be diagnosed with lung cancer during physical examinations. The early symptoms of lung cancer need to be paid more attention to. Patients with repeated pneumonia and bronchopneumonia should be alert to the occurrence of lung cancer. The following common symptoms cannot be ignored.

Can repeated pneumonia turn into lung cancer?

Obstructive pneumonia is a common complication of lung cancer, with an incidence of 10.9% to 40%. Obstructive pneumonia complicated by lung cancer or lung metastasis usually has a slow onset, with acute onset accounting for 27% to 36%, while acute onset accounts for 72% to 74% of common pneumonia. The main symptoms are fever, cough, sputum with blood in sputum, chest pain, etc. After anti-infection treatment, only a few patients have improved symptoms and lesions are absorbed. In most cases, symptoms persist or progressively worsen, infection symptoms may recur, and pneumonia may recur in the same lung segment.

1. Recurrent pneumonia and bronchopneumonia

When a tumor develops in the lungs, it can block the airways and cause infection, leading to pneumonia and bronchitis. Although pneumonia is caused by lung cancer, in some cases, the pneumonia may obscure the lung cancer mass on an X-ray, making diagnosis difficult. If you have repeated lung infections, ask your doctor to investigate the cause of the infection.

2. Long-term cough without relief

One of the most common signs of lung cancer is a persistent cough. A persistent cough should remind you of lung cancer, but in fact, people often attribute coughs to other conditions or diseases. You may think it is another cold or allergy, or think that the cough will go away in a week. When a chronic cough occurs, no matter what the cause, a persistent cough is a wake-up call, and you should go to the hospital for a thorough examination. It is especially important to remind you that even if you have never smoked, you are still at risk of lung cancer, especially women. The number of women who die from lung cancer each year is almost twice that of breast cancer, and most female lung cancer patients have never smoked. (In the West, 20% of female lung cancer patients have never smoked).

3. Chest or back pain

There are many causes of chest or back pain, but lung cancer accounts for a small percentage of chest or back pain. Lung cancer patients experience back pain after lifting or lifting something, but normal people may be fine lifting these things. If the pain does not subside, especially if the back pain is difficult to explain, you should go to the hospital and ask a specialist to help you find the cause. Chest pain caused by lung cancer is often continuous, not intermittent, and the pain is often progressive.

4. Hoarseness

If lung cancer tissue compresses the throat or the nerves that control the vocal cords, it will cause hoarseness. At first, you will "clear your throat" from time to time, or your family and friends will remind you that your voice has changed. There are many reasons for hoarseness: inflammation of the vocal cords after catching a cold, excessive use of the voice due to singing, cheering or speaking, etc. If your hoarseness does not go away, you should go to the hospital for appropriate examinations.

5. Significant weight loss

In today's society where obesity is becoming increasingly common, initial weight loss can be satisfying, especially if you don't restrict your food intake or increase your exercise. However, unintentional weight loss should be taken seriously. Cancer causes changes in your body's metabolism, and weight loss can occur even if your calorie intake does not decrease.