What are the symptoms of lung cancer? There are 4 common clinical symptoms of lung cancer

Regarding cancer, the word "cancer" creates a sense of fear in people's minds. Many friends even change color when talking about cancer. As we all know, once cancer reaches the late stage, it can be said that death is declared. Therefore, many people have a fear of this disease. Lung cancer is a lung tumor. What are the manifestations of this disease? The following experts will introduce it to you from four aspects.

1. Lung cancer pain

Pain is a common symptom experienced by patients with advanced lung cancer.

Reason: The chest cavity is a very complex space. Three-quarters of the lung surface is surrounded by the chest wall, which is composed of a thin layer of lining (parietal pleura), fat, muscle, ribs and skin in different proportions. Tumor invasion of any of the above parts will cause pain. Therefore, most patients with lung cancer that have regionally spread to the chest have symptoms of chest pain.

A special area of ​​the chest wall is formed around the top of the lung, the apex of the lung. Nerve fibers from the neck that control sensation and movement of the upper limbs enter the upper limbs through this area. Therefore, if the tumor invades this area, pain and weakness in the upper limb on the affected side are often felt. This so-called "Pancoster cancer", or superior sulcus cancer, is a type of lung cancer and often presents shoulder pain as the main symptom. This pain often requires analgesics to relieve. Usually, such patients are easily sent to plastic surgeons or neurologists for treatment, thus losing the opportunity for early diagnosis.

2. Hoarseness is one of the symptoms of advanced lung cancer.

Cause: The recurrent laryngeal nerve that controls the left side of the voice function goes down from the neck to the chest, bypasses the large blood vessels of the heart and goes back up to the larynx, thus controlling the left side of the voice organ. Therefore, if the tumor invades the left side of the mediastinum and compresses the recurrent laryngeal nerve, hoarseness will occur, but there will be no sore throat or other symptoms of upper respiratory tract infection.

3. Facial and neck edema is also a common symptom of late-stage lung cancer.

Cause: There is a superior vena cava on the right side of the mediastinum, which transports venous blood from the upper limbs and head and neck back to the heart. If the tumor invades the right side of the mediastinum and compresses the superior vena cava, it will initially cause the jugular vein to swell due to poor blood return, and eventually lead to edema of the face and neck, which needs to be diagnosed and treated in time.

4. Shortness of breath and pleural effusion are also symptoms of late-stage lung cancer.

Cause: Normal tissue fluid produced by the lungs and heart muscle is returned by the lymph nodes in the middle of the chest. If these lymph nodes are blocked by a tumor, this tissue fluid will accumulate in the pericardium to form a pericardial effusion or in the chest cavity to form a pleural effusion. Both of these situations can cause shortness of breath. However, because many smokers have varying degrees of chronic lung disease, this makes it difficult to identify shortness of breath.

In addition, since part of the lung tissue has lost its respiratory function due to the tumor, the overall respiratory function is impaired and respiratory discomfort occurs. This discomfort initially only occurs during exercise, but eventually it is felt even when resting.

Regarding the four typical symptoms of lung cancer, I hope that through the introduction of the experts above, everyone has some knowledge and understanding. If lung cancer develops to the late stage, it will be difficult to cure. Therefore, experts recommend that friends go to the hospital for examination in time if the above four symptoms appear, so as to nip the disease in the bud.