Lung cancer - the first symptoms and signs in men and women at an early stage. The first signs of lung cancer and their prevention Dizziness with lung cancer

Lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed oncopathology among adults. It occupies a leading place among the causes of death of the adult population from cancer. According to medical statistics, men of mature and elderly age are more likely to suffer from this oncopathology.

The rapid growth of the tumor and early metastasis determine the high mortality rate among patients with this oncological pathology.

Detection of lung cancer in the early stages allows for timely treatment and significantly increases the five-year survival rate of patients.

Clinical picture of lung cancer in adults

The initial stages of lung cancer in adults in most cases are asymptomatic, so lung cancer is often detected by chance: during the treatment of other lung diseases, during a preventive examination. This is due to the scarcity and nonspecificity of symptoms of lung cancer in the initial stages.

Symptoms of lung cancer in men and women often appear in the later stages, when the tumor reaches a significant size, and do not have sex differences, especially if patients smoke. Clinicians conditionally divide the course of a malignant neoplasm in the lungs into:

The first signs of lung cancer in men and women at the preclinical stage depend on the localization of the primary neoplasm: near the roots of the lungs (central cancer) or in parts remote from the large bronchi (peripheral cancer).

Symptoms of central lung cancer

The clinic of lung cancer with its central localization is more pronounced than with its peripheral location.

If the neoplasm is localized near the pulmonary roots, the main complaints of patients will be:

• painful dry cough;
• difficulty breathing up to shortness of breath;
• prolonged expectoration of sputum;
• blood streaks in sputum.

Cough is the main and very first sign of a tumor process near the roots of the lung. It occurs reflexively, in response to irritation of the nerve endings of the mucous membrane by a neoplasm that has grown into the lumen of the bronchi.

The value of the cough reflex is to expel the irritating factor from the bronchi with a stream of air. Since the tumor with coughing fits is not removed from the lungs, the cough becomes constant, hacking, painful. Until the lumen of the bronchus is blocked by a neoplasm, sputum is not separated during coughing.

With a partial overlap of the lumen of the bronchus, the tumor begins to cough up sputum. At first, it is slimy in nature. Then the sputum begins to stagnate in the bronchi below the place of their partial overlap, which leads to the appearance of a mucopurulent discharge.

As the diameter of the bronchus decreases, patients develop another symptom of cancer - shortness of breath. First, shortness of breath appears during physical exertion of the patient, later - when walking and at rest.

The appearance of streaks of blood in the sputum in the initial stages of central cancer is due to trauma to the bronchial mucosa with a hysterical cough. Hemoptysis appears already at later stages and it is associated with the decay or ulceration of the tumor. With hemoptysis, sputum becomes a characteristic appearance - "raspberry jelly".

Pain in central lung cancer appear in the affected half of the chest in the later stages and they are associated with compression or spread of the tumor to the surrounding tissues, complete blockage of the lumen of the large bronchus. The intensity of pain varies from aching to moderate.

Signs of peripheral cancer

With peripheral localization of cancer, the tumor is located relatively far from the large bronchi and mediastinum, so its first symptoms appear later than with central cancer. Therefore, in the initial stages of peripheral carcinoma, shortness of breath and pain from the affected side of the chest appear first.

Cough and blood in the sputum with such localization of neoplasms occur in the later stages and they are associated with the spread of the tumor process to the surrounding tissues, including the bronchi.

Late signs of oncopathology

In the later stages, the cancerous tumor reaches a large size. The waste products of cancer cells are toxic to the human body, so patients experience cancer intoxication, which manifests itself in the form of general symptoms:

The tumor begins to disintegrate and metastasize: first to the regional lymph nodes, later to other organs.

In the armpits and above the collarbone, lymph nodes increase, sometimes to such a size that they become visible to the naked eye. When the tumor metastasizes to the bone, bone pain and spontaneous fractures appear. When metastasizing to the liver, pain occurs in the right hypochondrium, jaundice.

Diagnosis of lung carcinoma

To diagnose carcinoma in the lungs, the doctor finds out from the patient what symptoms and when they appeared, conducts an examination and physical examination (percussion, auscultation). But detecting lung cancer, the symptoms and signs of which are nonspecific, is clinically difficult.

To diagnose this oncopathology, doctors prescribe additional research methods. How to identify lung cancer using additional diagnostic methods?

The most informative research methods for lung cancer are:

Radiological diagnosis of lung cancer

The X-ray method of research is the first diagnostic method that determines the presence of lung cancer in a patient. X-ray signs of lung cancer differ depending on the pathomorphological type of tumor.

There are four pathological types of lung cancer, each of which has its own x-ray picture:

After receiving the results of x-ray examination, it is necessary to decipher them. This is done by a radiologist who knows how to recognize cancer.

Tomography for lung cancer

Computed tomography and its varieties, as well as magnetic resonance imaging, are highly informative types of studies that can recognize cancer in the early stages, when clinical symptoms of a lung tumor do not yet appear.

Tomography makes it possible to determine the boundaries of cancerous and healthy tissues, determine the size of the neoplasm and the stage of the disease, identify metastases, and monitor the effectiveness of treatment.

Computed tomography is also used in combination with transthoracic puncture biopsy, when it is required to select a certain biomaterial for histological examination from the lungs or mediastinum without surgical intervention.

Histological and cytological studies

Histological and cytological studies are used to establish the pathomorphological form of cancer. It is very important for clinicians to know the histological type of the identified tumor, since its ability to metastasize depends on the pathomorphology. After receiving the results of a histological examination, the oncologist can understand what the treatment tactics will be, the volume of surgical intervention and the prognosis for the patient's survival in general.

The histological type of a tumor depends on the type of initial cells from which it was formed. Oncologists have identified more than 20 histological variants of lung cancer.

Practicing oncologists use a more simplified classification of the histological structure of cancerous tumors, which provides for the allocation of three pathomorphological types:

1. Squamous cell carcinoma(from epithelial cells of the bronchial mucosa).
2. Adenocarcinomas (from glandular cells).
3. undifferentiated cancer(from cellular structures of the basal epithelium).

In the case of squamous cell carcinoma, the histological preparation shows a discrepancy between the structure of the base (stroma) and the mass (parenchyma) of the tumor. The vessels of such a neoplasm cannot provide a sufficient level of blood supply to the tumor, therefore, foci of necrosis (necrosis) appear in its parenchyma, which quickly disintegrate. The larger the tumor and the more foci of necrosis in it, the more likely it is to metastasize.

Adenocarcinoma develops more slowly than other histological types, so it is less likely to metastasize.

Undifferentiated lung cancers tend to germinate into surrounding tissues and spread rapidly in perivasal (perivascular) tissues, so the detection of these tumors entails extensive surgical interventions even in the early stages of the disease.

Determination of tumor markers in the blood

The determination of lung cancer tumor markers is prescribed by oncologists not only to confirm the established diagnosis. According to the level of the tumor marker in the blood, an increase or decrease in its concentration in dynamics, the presence of combinations of markers, you can:

In lung cancer, the following markers in the blood are examined:

1. NSE, neurospecific enolase.
2. CEA (CEA) is a cancer-embryonic antigen.
3. CYFRA 21-1 is a fragment of cytokeratin 19.
4. SCC is a squamous cell carcinoma antigen.
5. CA 125 is a cancer antigen.
6. TPA is a tissue polypeptide antigen.

There is no unambiguous exhaustive list of diagnostic methods that should be prescribed for suspected or established lung cancer. Other research methods are less specific, therefore they are prescribed by doctors depending on the clinical course of cancer, the presence of metastases and complications from other organs and systems of the patient.

Lung cancer occurs more often in older patients, so the doctor should always be oncological research of patients (especially men) over the age of 40 years.

Patients themselves should also be more attentive and careful about any changes in their health and consult a doctor in a timely manner when they discover the first signs of its deterioration. Modern medicine has enough ways to fight lung cancer in its arsenal, but their effectiveness depends entirely on the timely detection of oncopathology.

Lung cancer, despite the highest level of today's medicine, still remains the most common among all oncological pathologies.

Men are the most likely to die from this cancer. Moreover, a fatal outcome usually occurs due to the hidden development of the cancer process, which leads to a late appeal to specialists.

Definition and statistics of the disease

Pulmonary cancer is a tumor malignant process that starts from the lung parenchyma or bronchial tissues.

How long do people live with lung cancer?

Pulmonary oncology is characterized by a high percentage of fatal outcome of the disease. Such statistics are explained by the vital importance of the respiratory system for the functioning of the whole organism. The fact is that a person lives while his breath and heart work.

When cancer processes are neglected, the patient quickly fades away, which is caused by a decrease in the respiratory area of ​​the pulmonary system. If the treatment is received in the early phases of tumor progression, then the percentage of five-year survival of cancer patients increases significantly.

Cancer patients with lung lesions of a peripheral nature are distinguished by the highest survival rate. Such oncology is characterized by such a slow course that even at stage 4, the condition of patients is often characterized by the absence of pain symptoms and relatively good physiological data. Patients with peripheral lung cancer have a fairly high chance of survival.

Unfavorable prognoses differ in cases of cancer affecting the central lung zone. Practice shows that such people after the diagnosis is diagnosed, life expectancy is no more than 4 years. This cancerous form is particularly aggressive and negative reaction to any kind of therapeutic effect. It quickly metastasizes and causes a pronounced pain syndrome.

It is impossible to say with complete certainty that the prognosis will be just that, because cancer is always unpredictable.

In addition, the histological structure of the tumor process is also reflected in the forecasts, namely, the formation has a small or large cell structure. With small cell histology, there are practically no chances for a long life in patients, but patients with large cell oncology have a high percentage of survival.

Forms

Oncologists distinguish three histologically distinct clinical forms of lung cancer:

• glandular;
• Differentiated.

In addition, according to the location, there are also central, peripheral and atypical forms of lung cancer. Central cancer, in turn, can be:

1. Endobronchial;
2. Peribronchial branched;
3. Peribronchial nodular.

Peripheral lung cancer is:

• cavity;
• Cortico-pleural;
• Nodal shape.

A separate category includes atypical forms of lung cancer, for which the absence of symptoms of lung damage is typical, but metastasis to other intraorganic structures occurs. The most common atypical varieties of pulmonary oncology include the mediastinal, hepatic, brain, and bone forms.

Classification

According to the anatomical features, lung cancer is classified into:

• mediastinal;
• Disseminated.

Based on histological features, lung cancer is divided into the following types:

In addition, there are varieties:

1. highly differentiated;
2. Moderately differentiated;
3. Low differentiated;
4. undifferentiated cancer;
5. Pulmonary sarcoma;
6. Cancer of the trachea;

bronchoalveolar

A similar pathology is a highly differentiated pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Such oncology is equally common among both male and female populations over 35 years of age.

Scientists find it difficult to unambiguously determine the causes of bronchoalveolar cancer, but there is a theory that tuberculosis, pneumonia and other pathologies of the pulmonary system are more often the provocateur of pathology.

In other words, bronchoalveolar cancer develops due to internal causes. The danger of this oncology lies in its hidden progression. Such a tumor is characterized by slow growth, therefore it practically does not spread to the lymph nodes and the lymphatic system. Usually, such cancer grows into the lung, then it is removed along with the sites of metastasis.

neuroendocrine

A similar form of lung cancer grows from neuroendocrine cell structures.

Such cells form the adrenal glands, the thyroid gland, and are also located in other intraorganic systems such as the stomach, intestines, etc.

Like cells of another kind, neuroendocrine cellular structures can also change abnormally, grow and form tumor-like formations.

There are 4 types of neuroendocrine lung tumors:

• Small cell cancer process;
• Large carcinoma of the neuroendocrine type;
• Typical carcinoma;
• Atypical carcinoid cancer.

Neuroendocrine formations can be localized in the central or peripheral lung tissues.

Causes and risk factors

As already specified above, the main causes of lung cancer are tobacco smoking, and passive smoking also leads to oncology.

As for non-smokers, their etiology and pathogenesis of lung cancer can develop under the influence of:

• Occupational hazard associated with exposure to radon or quartz, asbestos or arsenic, nickel or chromium, beryllium or chloromethyl, etc.;
• Radiation;
• Polluted atmospheric conditions;
• chronic infections;
• genetic predisposition;
• Secondary causes like viruses, physical inactivity, improper diet, etc.

What are the routes of infection

Of course, it is impossible to catch lung cancer from a cancer patient. But if you take into account factors such as polluted environment or smoking, then infection occurs through the airborne route.

The patient constantly inhales air contaminated with carcinogens and other aggressive substances, which is why he develops a malignant lung tumor in the future.

In addition, lung cancer can develop due to lymphogenous or hematogenous metastasis. Sometimes tuberculosis and pathogens of other pulmonary pathologies lead to cancer, especially if the patient has not received proper therapy.

Statistics and mechanism of development of lung cancer from tobacco smoking

Often used hormonal and immunological therapy against lung cancer. Radiation treatment has a decent efficiency.

Targeted Therapy

Most patients with lung cancer are at a stage where the tumor cannot be operated on. For such patients, treatment advantage is given. In the process of such treatment, enzyme blockers, immunoglobulins, as well as blockers of the development of their own vascular network in cancer formation are used.

Survival prognosis

In the absence of treatment, 90% die within a year and a half after the detection of pulmonary oncology. With the commencement of therapeutic measures at the first stage of cancer, the survival rate reaches 80%, at the second - only 45%, and at the third - only 20%.

If the treatment is combined - chemotherapy + radiation + surgery - then the five-year survival rate will be 40%, when using these measures as an independent treatment, the number of survivors after five years will be only 10%. If there is metastasis to distant intraorganic tissues or lymph nodes, then the prognosis of lung cancer is unfavorable.

Prevention measures

The main preventive anti-cancer measure for lung cancer is smoking cessation and protective measures against passive types of smoking.

In addition, it is necessary to monitor weight, avoid infections and hypodynamic life, exclude alcohol abuse, etc. Under harmful professional conditions, it is necessary to use means to protect the respiratory system. In general, lead a healthy lifestyle and undergo an annual fluorographic examination, then lung cancer will not affect you.

The causes and symptoms of bronchogenic lung cancer are described in this video:

What is lung cancer, what is it, what are its symptoms and signs? This publication provides extended information about this type of disease, the degree of its prevalence and the consequences of development. Lung cancer is a group of lung tumors with a malignant etiology. This tumor grows from various parts of the epithelial tissue of the bronchi, is characterized by rapid growth, early and numerous metastases.

What are the causes of the disease?

Why does this disease happen? The risk of developing lung carcinoma depends on various contributing factors, among which the following stand out: the place where a person lives, environmental and industrial conditions, gender and age characteristics, hereditary predisposition, and a number of others.

According to static data, the first and most common factor of influence is the content of the air that a person inhales - constant exposure to dust, especially when working with asbestos, arsenic, bismuth and various resins. When smoking a cigarette, nicotine smoke releases all of the above substances plus ammonia, which, getting into the respiratory tract, causes narrowing of the bronchi and blood vessels, dries out their mucous membranes and significantly impairs the entire functioning of the respiratory organs.

For reference: Cigarettes are one of the key causative agents of lung cancer. People who smoke an average of about twenty cigarettes a day for twenty years are at the highest risk of developing lung cancer. The tar contained in tobacco smoke contains substances that provoke the development of oncology in humans and animals. Test studies done on rabbits have shown that if you just put a certain amount of tar on their ear, after a while they begin to grow a tumor.

The key risk factors for the disease also include acute viral infections, chronic processes in the respiratory system, and untreated inflammatory foci in the lung tissues. According to statistics, some nationalities are genetically predisposed to tumor-like processes in the lungs.

Leading clinics in Israel

In addition, living conditions affect the incidence rate - for example, residents of megacities experience lung cancer many times more often than people living in rural areas, because at high temperatures in urban areas, the asphalt heats up and begins to release formaldehyde and other harmful elements. , and the strongest electromagnetic radiation causes immunodeficiency.

It is noteworthy that males are faced with a lung tumor 2 times more often than women. This is explained by the fact that it is men who are most employed in production with harmful working conditions, and it is the male part of the planet that are active smokers. This disease is mainly diagnosed in adults and much less often in children and adolescents.

Classification

Based on the localization of the lung tumor, the following varieties are used.

Important! Doctors radiologists in case of non-compliance with the rules for the protection of work with radiation and x-ray machines are at a significant risk zone of developing lung cancer.

early signs

What symptoms can be observed at an early stage of lung cancer and how to recognize them? At the beginning of its appearance, lung oncology is not associated with respiratory functions, as a result of which patients begin to turn to other specialists and, as a result, receive an erroneous diagnosis and incorrect treatment.

Among the primary signs of a lung tumor are:

Obvious symptoms of respiratory damage are detected already when the formation spreads to a significant part of the lung and begins to damage healthy tissues. Based on the similar specifics of diagnosing lung cancer, experts believe that if there are inaccurate signs, it is necessary to undergo a course of complex tests and do x-rays annually.

Video: Unusual signs of lung cancer

What are the symptoms of lung cancer?

How does a lung tumor manifest itself? As the disease progresses and cancer cells grow, the patient begins to experience various symptoms of lung cancer. Among them stand out such as:

• Coughing. At first, the cough with cancer is dry, which worsens at night, but due to the fact that most smokers have such a cough is the norm, patients do not seek help from a doctor. Later, sputum joins the cough, the consistency is mucous, or purulent with a pronounced odor;
• Isolation of sputum with streaks of blood (hemoptysis), due to the germination of education in the vascular tissue. This symptom is the most common reason for a patient to visit a doctor;
• Dull and severe pain in the chest, arising from the fact that the tumor captures the pulmonary pleura - the place where the nerve endings are localized. In this case, the pains are usually acute or dull in nature, occur during the respiratory process or physical effort in the part where the lung is affected;
• Shortness of breath and constant shortness of breath (the patient suffocates);
• An increase in body temperature at the level of 37 and a little higher (usually lung cancer does not happen without temperature), at the last stage of development of lung cancer, hyperthermia can reach 40 degrees;
• The appearance of hypercortisolism syndrome, accompanied by overweight, abundant hairiness, the appearance of pink stripes on the surface of the skin. Such manifestations are due to the fact that certain types of abnormal cells are able to produce adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which causes these signs;
• Pathological thinness (anorexia) and constant urge to vomit, disruption of the nervous system. These symptoms are typical if the formation begins to produce vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone);
• Pathological processes of calcium metabolism in the body, manifested by the development of osteoporosis, vomiting, lethargy and vision problems. This happens in the case of the synthesis of parathyroid hormones;
• Enlarged saphenous veins, swelling in the neck and shoulders, difficulty swallowing:
• Stage 4 before death - the development of paralysis, paresis of the muscles of the shoulder joint, bleeding, fever. With metastases to the brain, neurological attacks and death of the patient occur.

Very often, patients are concerned about the question, do their lungs hurt with their cancer? Given that there are no nerve endings in the lungs, the patient practically does not experience pain until the process of metastasis begins and there is no pressure on the organs closest to the tumor. Usually, pains with such a diagnosis appear during physical exertion, the process of inhalation and have a sharp, burning and pressing character.

It should be noted that experts share the symptoms of a lung tumor depending on gender differentiation.

So, the following are considered signs of lung cancer in the male half of humanity:

• Blurring of symptoms in the early stages of lung cancer;
• Prolonged cough for no particular reason;
• Hoarseness of the vocal cords;
• Persistent shortness of breath;
• Weakness and fatigue;
• wheezing;
• swelling on the face;
• Tachycardia;
• Difficulty swallowing;
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the armpits;
• Feeling depressed and dizzy;
• Pain when inhaling;
• Aching headaches.

Symptoms of lung cancer in women differ from those in men by the presence of an early urge to cough, which is dry at first and becomes wet with a mucus-like consistency over time. Cancer is suspected if a woman has:

• Shortness of breath appears even in conditions of low physical exertion;
• Weight loss and loss of appetite;
• The swallowing reflex worsens;
• Enlarged lymph nodes;
• The appearance of blood streaks in the sputum is observed;
• Feeling chills and fever;
• Jaundice develops when liver tissue is damaged due to the spread of metastases.

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Classification of stages of lung cancer and the specificity of metastases

According to the TNM classification, four stages of a tumor in the lungs are indicated. Differentiation comes from the size of the initial mass (T), the presence of regional metastatic foci (N) and the formation of distant metastases (M).

• At the first stage of the development of the disease, the tumor is characterized by small size and consists of a part of the bronchus with no metastases;
• At the second stage (2a), there is a small single formation with separate regional metastatic foci;
• At stage 3, the tumor grows beyond the lung and has many metastases;
• At the fourth stage, the blastomatous process covers the pulmonary pleura, adjacent tissues and has distant metastases. The process of metastasis in lung cancer is distinguished by its speed, since the pulmonary organ is supplied with good blood and lymph flow, which ensures the rapid spread of cancer cells to other organs. Usually metastases appear in the brain, liver and the second part of the lung.

Based on the cellular structure, lung carcinoma is divided into:

• Small cell cancer. It is characterized by aggressiveness and rapid development of metastases. Prevalence rate 15-20 percent of cases;
• Non-small cell cancer. Includes all other types.

Methods for diagnosing lung cancer

How to find out about the presence of oncology in the lungs, and how can it be diagnosed? Today, almost sixty percent of tumors in the lungs can be detected during a fluorography examination, which is recommended to be done once every two years, and even better once a year. Also common ways to detect lung cancer are:

Methods of treatment

How is lung cancer treated? The treatment regimen for a lung tumor is selected simultaneously by several doctors, including an oncology specialist, an internist and a radiologist. The choice of treatment method will depend on the stage of development of the disease, the structure of the formation, the process of metastasis and the condition of the patient.

Today, the types of lung cancer treatments include such methods as: radiation therapy, surgery, a combination of radiation and surgical removal of the tumor, chemotherapy and a complex set of treatment. If a patient has small cell type cancer, the choice is made in favor of radiation and chemical therapy.

If the tumor has other forms, then specialists resort to surgical intervention in combination with beam treatment.

In the fourth stage, chemotherapy is used as a means of maintaining the patient's quality of life.

Removal of the tumor is not possible for severely ill patients, in case of growth of the formation into the pulmonary pleura and chest wall, when the process of metastasis in the mediastinal region is started, and in other cases.

Unfortunately, the effective methods by which it is carried out will not reach the CIS very soon. For example, radiotherapy on the latest generation linear accelerator True Beam STx allows you to almost halve the duration of a course of radiotherapy, while avoiding a number of side effects.

Attention: Treatment of lung cancer at home is not possible.

Prognosis of life in lung cancer

Given the complexity of the oncological disease under consideration, the question arises, how long do patients live with a similar diagnosis and what is the prognosis? Life expectancy with a tumor in the lungs depends on the type of cancer, the process of metastasis, the detection of the disease at one stage or another, and timely treatment. Moreover, the duration of the patient's life will be determined by the state of the intrathoracic lymph nodes. Patients with metastases in regional lymph nodes die within 2 years. If the tumor was removed surgically at the 1st and 2nd stages of the development of the disease, then approximately sixty and forty percent of patients live for 5 years. Treatment of a lung tumor in the third stage provides a five-year survival rate for only twenty-five percent of patients.

Important: If lung cancer is not treated, then the disease ends in death. Near 48 percent of untreated patients die in the first year after the diagnosis of this type of cancer, only 1 percent of patients live up to five years, only 3 percent live for three years.

Very often, patients wonder how long they live with a tumor in the lungs at the fourth stage of the disease? In this case, everything will depend on the classification of cancer and the degree of development of metastases. According to statistics, only five percent of patients have a chance to live for 5 years.

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Prevention measures

In addition to providing protection from adverse environmental factors - working with hazardous chemicals, smoking and others, every adult needs to undergo an examination using a lung x-ray every year. Such a study is also necessary because, in the current environment, people who are never exposed to the above factors can also become a victim of lung cancer. Preventive measures of this oncological disease are: a healthy lifestyle, refusal to use tobacco and alcohol, daily intake of various types of fruits and vegetables.

Lung cancer is the name of a whole group of malignant tumors, the place of primary localization of which are bronchial and lung cells. In its early stages, lung cancer responds well to chemotherapy and surgery. If signs of the initial stage of lung cancer were not recognized in a timely manner, the prognosis is usually poor.

As the disease develops, tumor cells metastasize, that is, they spread throughout the human body and affect organs and tissues. Early diagnosis of lung cancer is the most important condition for effective treatment.

The first signs of lung cancer

It should be noted that early signs of lung cancer are nonspecific and resemble the symptoms of many respiratory diseases. It is for this reason that patients do not rush to see a doctor. A patient with lung cancer may experience the following symptoms: a wheezing sound when breathing, shortness of breath, dry cough or cough with sputum. The sputum sometimes contains traces of blood. There may also be chest and shoulder pain, pain when coughing and breathing, fatigue and weight loss. It must be said that wheezing and a persistent cough can be attributed to the primary signs of lung cancer only conditionally, since it is they that force the patient to visit a doctor. In fact, these symptoms indicate the transition of cancer to a more severe stage.

Indirect signs of lung cancer: decreased vitality, apathy, lethargy, unreasonable periodic increase in body temperature. The latter often makes diagnosis difficult, since cancer in this case is mistaken for chronic bronchitis or pneumonia.

Symptoms of lung cancer

If the very first signs of lung cancer have gone unnoticed, and adequate treatment has not been carried out, the patient's condition worsens. The disease progresses rapidly, affecting nearby organs and causing more pronounced symptoms. Most often, metastases penetrate into the skeletal system, liver, adrenal glands, and brain. The following symptoms may indicate the development of lung cancer:

• obstructive jaundice;
• neurological disorders;
• palpitations, heart rhythm disturbances;
• bone pain;
• difficulty moving food through the esophagus.

Often, such clinical symptoms force the patient to visit doctors of various specialties: a neuropathologist, a cardiologist, an orthopedic traumatologist, a gastroenterologist.

External signs of cancer are observed with the progression of the disease. Among them are:

1. swelling of the upper half of the trunk, neck and face due to blockage of the main blood vessel and enlargement of the lymph nodes;
2. dull gray pallor of the face or a yellowish tint to the skin and whites of the eyes;
3. expansion of subcutaneous collateral veins on the chest;
4. inflammation of the lymph nodes in the axillary and supraclavicular region.

These signs are characteristic of the so-called central lung cancer, the localization of which is the large bronchi. If the tumor is located on the periphery, the initial stage of cancer is asymptomatic.

Some doctors claim they can see signs of lung cancer in a patient's eyes using iridology method– study of the iris of the eye. The doctor examines the iris visually and with the help of devices, after which he compares the data obtained with iridological schemes. Scientific proven the existence of a direct connection between the markers of the iris and the state of the internal organs of a person. You should not completely rely on iridology, but this method deserves attention and can help make the correct diagnosis.

If lung cancer is suspected, in addition to a physical examination of the patient and a study of the medical history, the doctor prescribes the following types of studies:

1. sputum analysis;
2. X-ray examination, magnetic resonance or computed tomography;
3. bronchoscopy to examine the main bronchial passages;
4. biopsy of malignant tissue.

X-ray signs of lung cancer- these are blackouts in the lungs, an increase in lymph nodes and a displacement of the chest organs. Computed tomography helps to get a more informative picture.

Lung cancer in men

According to statistics, men get lung cancer four times more often than women. Men over the age of 45 who smoke are more likely to show signs of lung cancer . In women, this disease is diagnosed much less frequently, but women who smoke and those who regularly inhale tobacco smoke (passive smokers) are at risk.

Another risk factor is constant contact with radioactive gases and toxic substances such as asbestos, nickel, arsenic. Mining and processing workers should be regularly screened to detect disease at an early stage.

The incidence of lung cancer depends on the area of ​​residence, the degree of industrialization, climatic and production conditions, gender, age, genetic predisposition and other factors.

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer is a malignant neoplasm that develops from the glands and mucous membranes of the lung tissue and bronchi. In today's world, lung cancer occupies the top line among all oncological diseases. According to statistics, this oncology affects men eight times more often than women, and it has been noted that the older the age, the higher the incidence rate.

The development of lung cancer varies with tumors of different histological structures. Differentiated squamous cell carcinoma is characterized by a slow course, undifferentiated cancer develops rapidly and gives extensive metastases.

The most malignant course is small cell lung cancer:

• develops secretly and quickly,
• metastasizes early.
• has a poor prognosis.

More often the tumor occurs in the right lung - in 52%, in the left lung - in 48% of cases.

The main group of patients are long-term smokers aged 50 to 80 years, this category accounts for 60-70% of all cases of lung cancer, and mortality is 70-90%.

According to some researchers, the structure of the incidence of various forms of this pathology, depending on age, is as follows:

• up to 45 - 10% of all cases;
• from 46 to 60 years - 52% of cases;
• from 61 to 75 years -38% of cases.

Until recently, lung cancer was considered a predominantly male disease. Currently, there is an increase in the incidence of women and a decrease in the age of initial detection of the disease.

Depending on the location of the primary tumor, there are:

• central cancer. It is located in the main and lobar bronchi.
• Aeripheric. This tumor develops from the small bronchi and bronchioles.

1. Small cell carcinoma (less common) is a very aggressive neoplasm, as it can spread throughout the body very quickly, metastasizing to other organs. Typically, small cell cancer occurs in smokers, and by the time of diagnosis, 60% of patients have widespread metastasis.
2. Non-small cell (80-85% of cases) - has a negative prognosis, combines several forms of morphologically similar types of cancer with a similar cell structure.

• central - affects the main, lobar and segmental bronchi;
• peripheral - damage to the epithelium of smaller bronchi, bronchioles and alveolus;
• massive (mixed).

The progression of a neoplasm goes through three stages:

• Biological - the period between the appearance of a neoplasm and the manifestation of the first symptoms.
• Asymptomatic - external signs of the pathological process do not appear at all, they become noticeable only on the x-ray.
• Clinical - the period when noticeable symptoms appear in cancer, which becomes an incentive to rush to the doctor.

Causes

The main causes of lung cancer:

• smoking, including passive smoking (about 90% of all cases);
• contact with carcinogens;
• inhalation of radon and asbestos fibers;
• hereditary predisposition;
• age category over 50 years;
• influence of harmful production factors;
• radioactive exposure;
• the presence of chronic respiratory diseases and endocrine pathologies;
• cicatricial changes in the lungs;
• viral infections;
• air pollution.

The disease develops latently for a long time. The tumor begins to form in the glands, mucosa, but metastases grow very quickly throughout the body. The risk factors for the occurrence of a malignant neoplasm are:

• air pollution;
• smoking;
• viral infections;
• hereditary causes;
• harmful production conditions.

Please note that cancer cells that affect the lungs divide very quickly, spreading the tumor throughout the body and destroying other organs. Therefore, timely diagnosis of the disease is important. The earlier lung cancer is detected and treated, the higher the chance of prolonging the life of the patient.

The earliest signs of lung cancer

The first symptoms of lung cancer often do not have a direct connection with the respiratory system. Patients turn to various specialists of a different profile for a long time, are examined for a long time and, accordingly, receive the wrong treatment.

• subfebrile temperature, which is not knocked down by drugs and extremely exhausting the patient (during this period, the body undergoes internal intoxication);
• weakness and fatigue already in the morning;
• skin itching with the development of dermatitis, and, possibly, the appearance of growths on the skin (caused by the allergic action of malignant cells);
• muscle weakness and increased swelling;
• disorders of the central nervous system, in particular, dizziness (up to fainting), impaired coordination of movements or loss of sensitivity.

If these signs appear, be sure to contact a pulmonologist for diagnosis and clarification of the diagnosis.

stages

Faced with lung cancer, many do not know how to determine the stage of the disease. In oncology, when assessing the nature and extent of lung cancer, 4 stages of the development of the disease are classified.

However, the duration of any stage is purely individual for each patient. It depends on the size of the neoplasm and the presence of metastases, as well as on the rate of the course of the disease.

• Stage 1 - the tumor is less than 3 cm. It is located within the boundaries of a segment of the lung or one bronchus. There are no metastases. Symptoms are difficult to discern or none at all.
• 2 - tumor up to 6 cm, located within the boundaries of the segment of the lung or bronchus. Solitary metastases in individual lymph nodes. Symptoms are more pronounced, there is hemoptysis, pain, weakness, loss of appetite.
• 3 - the tumor exceeds 6 cm, penetrates into other parts of the lung or neighboring bronchi. Numerous metastases. Blood in mucopurulent sputum, shortness of breath are added to the symptoms.

How does the last 4 stage of lung cancer manifest itself?

At this stage of lung cancer, the tumor metastasizes to other organs. The five-year survival rate is 1% for small cell cancers and 2 to 15% for non-small cell cancers.

The patient has the following symptoms:

• Constant pain when breathing, which is difficult to live with.
• Chest pain
• Decrease in body weight and appetite
• Blood coagulates slowly, fractures (metastases in the bones) often occur.
• The appearance of bouts of severe coughing, often with sputum, sometimes with blood and pus.
• The appearance of severe pain in the chest, which directly indicates damage to nearby tissues, since there are no pain receptors in the lungs themselves.
• Symptoms of cancer also include heavy breathing and shortness of breath, if the cervical lymph nodes are affected, difficulty in speech is felt.

For small cell lung cancer, which develops rapidly and affects the body in a short time, only 2 stages of development are characteristic:

• limited stage, when cancer cells are localized in one lung and tissues located in close proximity.
• an extensive or extensive stage, when the tumor has metastasized to an area outside the lung and to distant organs.

Symptoms of lung cancer

Clinical manifestations of lung cancer depend on the primary location of the neoplasm. At the initial stage, most often the disease is asymptomatic. In later stages, general and specific signs of cancer may appear.

The early, first symptoms of lung cancer are non-specific and usually not alarming, and include:

• unmotivated fatigue
• loss of appetite
• slight weight loss may occur
• cough
• specific symptoms cough with "rusty" sputum, shortness of breath, hemoptysis join in later stages
• pain syndrome indicates the inclusion in the process of nearby organs and tissues

Specific symptoms of lung cancer:

• Cough - causeless, paroxysmal, debilitating, but not dependent on physical activity, sometimes with greenish sputum, which may indicate the central location of the tumor.
• Dyspnea. Shortness of breath and shortness of breath first appear in case of tension, and with the development of a tumor they disturb the patient even in a supine position.
• Pain in the chest. When the tumor process affects the pleura (the lining of the lung), where the nerve fibers and endings are located, the patient develops excruciating pain in the chest. They are sharp and aching, disturb constantly or depend on breathing and physical exertion, but most often they are located on the side of the affected lung.
• Hemoptysis. Usually, the meeting between the doctor and the patient occurs after blood begins to come out of the mouth and nose with sputum. This symptom suggests that the tumor began to affect the vessels.

• dry cough;
• weakness;
• loss of appetite;
• malaise;
• temperature rise;
• headache.

• hemoptysis;
• wheezing when breathing;
• weight loss;
• elevated temperature;
• increased cough;
• chest pains;
• weakness.

• increased wet cough;
• blood, pus in sputum;
• breathing difficulties;
• dyspnea;
• problems with swallowing;
• hemoptysis;
• sharp weight loss;
• epilepsy, speech disorder, with small cell form;
• intense pain.

Signs of lung cancer in men

• Exhausting, frequent cough is one of the first signs of lung cancer. Subsequently, sputum appears, its color may become greenish-yellow. With physical labor or hypothermia, coughing attacks intensify.
• When breathing, whistling, shortness of breath appears;
• Pain appears in the chest area. It can be considered a sign of oncology in the presence of the first two symptoms.
• When coughing, in addition to sputum, discharge in the form of blood clots may appear.
• Attacks of apathy, increased loss of strength, increased fatigue;
• With normal nutrition, the patient loses weight sharply;
• In the absence of inflammatory processes, colds, body temperature is elevated;
• The voice becomes hoarse, this is due to damage to the nerve of the larynx;
• On the part of the neoplasm, pain in the shoulder may appear;
• Swallowing problems. This is due to tumor damage to the walls of the esophagus and respiratory tract;
• Muscle weakness. Patients, as a rule, do not pay attention to this symptom;
• Dizziness;
• Violation of the heart rhythm.

lung cancer in women

Important signs of lung cancer in women are discomfort in the chest area. They manifest themselves in different intensity depending on the form of the disease. Discomfort becomes especially severe if the intercostal nerves are involved in the pathological process. It is practically intractable and does not leave the patient.

Unpleasant sensations are of the following types:

Along with common symptoms, there are signs of lung cancer in women:

• changes in voice timbre (hoarseness);
• enlarged lymph nodes;
• swallowing disorders;
• pain in the bones;
• frequent fractures;
• jaundice - with metastasis to the liver.

The presence of one or more signs characteristic of a single category of diseases of the respiratory organs should cause an immediate appeal to a specialist.

A person noticing the above symptoms should report them to the doctor or supplement the information he collects with the following information:

• attitudes towards smoking with pulmonary symptoms;
• the presence of cancer in blood relatives;
• a gradual increase in one of the above symptoms (it is a valuable addition, as it indicates the slow development of the disease, characteristic of oncology);
• an acute increase in symptoms against a background of chronic previous malaise, general weakness, loss of appetite and body weight is also a variant of carcinogenesis.

Diagnostics

How is lung cancer diagnosed? Up to 60% of oncological lesions of the lungs are detected during preventive fluorography, at different stages of development.

• Only 5-15% of patients with lung cancer are registered at stage 1
• At 3 stages%
• For 4 - more than 10%

Diagnosis for suspected lung cancer includes:

• general clinical blood and urine tests;
• biochemical blood test;
• cytological studies of sputum, bronchial lavage, pleural exudate;
• assessment of physical data;
• radiography of the lungs in 2 projections, linear tomography, CT of the lungs;
• bronchoscopy (fibrobronchoscopy);
• pleural puncture (in the presence of effusion);
• diagnostic thoracotomy;
• scaling biopsy of lymph nodes.

Early diagnosis gives hope for a cure. The most reliable way in this case is an x-ray of the lungs. The diagnosis is confirmed by endoscopic bronchography. With its help, you can determine the size and location of the tumor. In addition, a cytological examination - a biopsy - is mandatory.

Treatment of lung cancer

The first thing I want to say is that treatment is carried out only by a doctor! No self-treatment! This is a very important point. After all, the sooner you seek help from a specialist, the more chances for a favorable outcome of the disease.

The choice of a specific treatment strategy depends on many factors:

• Stage of the disease;
• Histological structure of carcinoma;
• The presence of concomitant pathologies;
• A combination of all the above fatcores.

There are several complementary treatments for lung cancer:

• Surgical intervention;
• Radiation therapy;
• Chemotherapy.

Surgery

Surgical intervention is the most effective method, which is shown only at stages 1 and 2. They are divided into the following types:

• Radical - the primary focus of the tumor and regional lymph nodes are subject to removal;
• Palliative - aimed at maintaining the patient's condition.

Chemotherapy

When small cell cancer is detected, the leading method of treatment is chemotherapy, since this form of tumor is most sensitive to conservative methods of treatment. The effectiveness of chemotherapy is quite high and allows you to achieve a good effect for several years.

Chemotherapy is of the following types:

• therapeutic - to reduce metastases;
• adjuvant - used as a preventive measure to prevent relapse;
• inadequate - immediately before surgery to reduce tumors. It also helps to identify the level of sensitivity of cells to drug treatment, and to establish its effectiveness.

Radiation therapy

Another method of treatment is radiation therapy: it is used for non-removable lung tumors of stage 3-4, it allows to achieve good results in small cell cancer, especially in combination with chemotherapy. The standard dosage for radiation treatment is gray.

The use of radiation therapy for lung cancer is considered as a separate method if the patient refuses chemotherapy, and resection is not possible.

Forecast

To make accurate predictions for lung cancer, perhaps, no experienced doctor will undertake. This disease can behave unpredictably, which is largely due to the variety of histological variants of the structure of tumors.

However, the cure of the patient is still possible. As a rule, a combination of surgery and radiation therapy leads to a favorable outcome.

How long do people live with lung cancer?

• In the absence of treatment, almost 90% of patients after the detection of the disease do not live more than 2-5 years;
• with surgical treatment, 30% of patients have a chance to live for more than 5 years;
• with a combination of surgical, radiation and chemotherapy, a chance to live more than 5 years appears in another 40% of patients.

Do not forget about prevention, these include:

• healthy lifestyle: proper nutrition and exercise
• giving up bad habits, especially smoking

Prevention

Prevention of lung cancer includes the following recommendations:

• Giving up bad habits, especially smoking;
• Compliance with a healthy lifestyle: proper nutrition rich in vitamins and daily physical activity, walks in the fresh air.
• Treat bronchial diseases in time so that there is no transition to a chronic form.
• Airing the room, daily wet cleaning of the apartment;
• Contact with harmful chemicals and heavy metals should be kept to a minimum. During work, be sure to use protective equipment: respirators, masks.

If you have the symptoms described in this article, be sure to see a doctor for an accurate diagnosis.

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Signs of lung cancer

Posted By: admin 04/20/2016

Bronchogenic cancer, bronchogenic carcinoma is a malignant formation in the lungs that begins to develop from pathogenic epithelial tissues.

Modern medicine does not have sufficient funds for a qualitative fight against this disease, therefore, the mortality rate from the cancerous process in this organ is about 85%.

Etiology

There are many reasons that have the ability to cause a cancerous process in the lungs, they are conditionally divided into two groups: those that are associated with a person’s lifestyle, and those that are independent of him. Independent - those reasons that a person cannot influence, they do not depend on his actions or lifestyle. These include:

1. Heredity - more than three known cases of lung cancer in the family of relatives;
2. The patient has parallel tumors in other organs (multiple form), which are capable of metastasizing to the lungs;
3. Age - people over 50 years of age are at increased risk;
4. The presence of chronic pathological processes in the lungs.
5. Dysfunctions of the endocrine system;

The human factor is what depends on the person and what he is able to change:

1. Tobacco smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, especially in adults. During the combustion of tobacco, toxic carcinogens are released into the body, there are about 4,000 different varieties of them. Poisonous substances are inhaled along with smoke and accumulate on the bronchial mucosa. Their action leads to the burning of this shell, it kills living cells and destroys the ciliated epithelium. In addition, tobacco poisons enter the bloodstream and spread to many vital organs, causing the same changes there. The sediment from cigarettes remains in the lungs for life, it is not excreted and does not resolve, but only accumulates with each smoked cigarette, gradually covering the lung tissue with soot. In a non-smoker, the lungs are pink, soft and porous. The smoker has the opposite, they are black, rough and not elastic.
2. Professional activity - a person working in some enterprises with increased hazards (especially those related to the respiratory system) is at greater risk of lung cancer.

These enterprises include:

• Work in the shops for the production of metal structures or asbestos.
• Cotton factories;
• Professional work with poisons and heavy metals;
• Work at great depth in the mine;
• Production of rubber products.

1. The state of the atmosphere is life in megacities, it is a constant risk to human health. Every day, a city dweller inhales thousands of various carcinogens that enter the atmosphere with emissions from factories or exhaust gases.

Symptoms

Any symptoms of an oncological process in the lungs can be divided into general and specific. Symptoms of lung cancer at an early stage are very mild or absent.

• Weakness;
• Rapid weight loss;
• Lack of appetite;
• increased sweating;
• Hyperthermia of the body, without any reason;

Specific signs of lung cancer:

1. Cough - appears suddenly and often. Some patients themselves notice how their cough changes, which acquires frequent attacks, becomes hacking, and the nature of sputum changes. In some cases, it can appear when inhaling cold air or in a supine position.
2. Hemoptysis - refers to one of the characteristic symptoms of lung cancer. In the sputum after coughing, traces of blood can be found: in the form of bright impurities or dark clots. But this symptom is also characteristic of other equally dangerous pulmonary diseases, therefore, at the first manifestations of bloody sputum, you should consult a specialist.
3. Shortness of breath - occurs against the background of the restructuring of the lung tissue, with cancer it often begins to bother after blockage of the bronchus (atelectasis). This pathology disrupts the normal circulation of oxygen in the lung tissue and reduces lung ventilation. A growing tumor can provoke atelectasis of the entire lung, and completely block it.
4. Pain in the chest - very often associated with the germination of the tumor in the pleura (it has many painful endings).

Diagnostics

Establishing the correct diagnosis in the case of lung cancer is not easy. The tumor has properties to manifest itself in the form of other pathologies (pneumonia, tuberculosis, abscess, etc.). Because of what, more than half of lung cancer processes are diagnosed already at advanced stages, which are inoperable. The first stages of neoplasms, and even some advanced cases, do not give any symptoms, and are determined randomly during medical examinations or after the addition of a number of complications.

To determine lung cancer, several diagnostic procedures should be performed:

1. Fluorography is a mass, annual preventive measure, the purpose of which is to identify the most severe pathologies of the lungs: tubes. process, neoplasms of the lungs and mediastinum, pneumonia. If any changes are found on the FG image, it is necessary to conduct an X-ray additional examination of the PCC in two projections (straight and side);
2. X-ray of the OGK helps the doctor to consider the presence of pathologies; two images are necessarily taken into account during the description;
3. CT or MRI with the introduction of contrast agents are modern diagnostic methods that give the doctor the opportunity to study pathological changes in the lungs in more detail. Also, these methods make it possible to differentiate the pathology (you can accurately determine whether it is cancer or tuberculosis, pneumonia, etc.);
4. Bronchoscopy is a method of examining the bronchial tree to determine the presence of central cancer. Bronchoscopy allows you to visually examine the neoplasm, calculate its size and take materials for a biopsy;
5. Sputum analysis is a method with not very high efficiency, but in some cases it makes it possible to suspect the presence of cancer by the presence of atypical cells;
6. Thoracoscopy is an instrumental method of examination, which consists in introducing a probe with a camera through the holes in the pleura;
7. Tumor biopsy.

Unfortunately, modern medicine does not have a universal method for 100% diagnosis of malignant tumors, since cancer can be confused with other lung diseases. Before making a final diagnosis, the doctor must use a full range of examinations.

stages

Stage I - the formation has a size of up to 3 centimeters, there are no metastases, the tumor does not extend beyond the segment;

Stage II - the size increases to 6 centimeters, does not go beyond the segment, there are separate metastases in the regional lymph nodes;

Stage III - dimensions exceed 6 centimeters and pass to the bronchi or to the adjacent lobe of the lung. Metastases in the lymph nodes of the respiratory system;

Stage IV - the tumor sprouts the borders of the lung, local and distant metastases appear (patients with the fourth stage are inoperable and are not able to live for a long time, more than one doctor will not be able to say exactly how long the patient will live, and in most cases the disease ends in death).

How long do people live with lung cancer?

The disease has a high mortality rate, due to the fact that the lungs play an important role in the normal functioning of the body. People are able to live for some time even with damage to the brain, liver, kidneys or any other organs, but biological death is the state of complete cessation of breathing or heartbeat. At the advanced stages of the oncological process of the lungs, a sick person has a rapid extinction of the vital functions of the body due to a decrease in respiratory capacity.

There are statistical data about the five-year survival of people with various stages of a tumor in the lungs. Greater chances to live a long life, have people who started the course of treatment in the early stages, but still, the final forecast of how much time will be always individual for each.

High chances of survival can be attributed to peripheral lung lesions. In practice, cases of survival of patients for more than 10 years from the moment of diagnosis of the oncological process are known. Peripheral handicap has its own characteristics in the form of long-term development and prolonged pain response. This form of cancer, even when reaching the fourth stage of development, does not particularly affect the patient's condition and does not cause pain, but in very advanced forms, pain can develop due to metastases in other organs, and the disease ends in death.

Low chances always accompany the central form of cancer. People diagnosed with this form live no more than 3-4 years. The tumor is very dangerous, especially at stages 3-4 of development, it is characterized by a high pain syndrome and metastasis.

Treatment

Surgery is the treatment of lung cancer with the help of an operation, which consists of two methods: radical or palliative treatment. Before drawing conclusions about the need and type of surgery, doctors should hold more than one meeting, about each patient individually.

Radical treatment of lung cancer - is carried out in the form of a complete removal of all affected tissues and organs: these can be lung lobes, lymph nodes, metastasis foci, organs into which the tumor has grown.

Palliative surgery (performed in cases where the use of a radical method is inappropriate, or for some indications) - this technique consists in removing the focus of the tumor and organs and lymph nodes within reach. Distant metastases are not affected; additional methods of treatment are used for them.

If surgery is not possible, lung cancer is treated with radiation or chemotherapy. The appointment of each of them is purely individual for each patient, after examination by an oncologist, all the features of the disease in a particular person are taken into account and a treatment plan is drawn up.

Prevention of lung cancer

To prevent and reduce the risk of an oncological process, the first recommendations of a doctor are always about lifestyle, namely smoking cessation, for adults over 50 years of age this applies to a greater extent. It is also necessary to choose normal working conditions, or take self-defense measures in hazardous industries. In order to detect the early stages of pathologies in the lungs, it is necessary to undergo a regular fluorographic examination, since lung pathologies are serious problems for the body and people do not live long with them.

Signs of lung cancer in adults

Symptoms of lung cancer in adults should be conditionally divided into those inherent in the female and male sex. This will allow you to understand the presented condition in much more detail, determine its stages, the moment of attachment of metastases and other negative processes.

Symptoms in men - the beginning

In the initial stages, when lung cancer is just developing, a man is faced with the first symptom, which is a cough. Such urges are characterized by causeless formation and significant duration. At the same time, if a person has a nicotine addiction, he does not pay attention to the symptoms presented, considering them normal in terms of health.

At the initial stage, manifestations are accompanied by hoarseness of the voice - temporary or permanent, shortness of breath, and often developing pneumonia or bronchitis.

If you do not pay attention to the presented manifestations in time, the disease will move to the next stage and will be associated with much more pronounced symptoms in males.

Next steps

The symptoms associated with the process in the lungs in men, at later stages of development, indicate the germination of a malignant neoplasm in nearby internal organs and tissue structures. Given the aggressiveness of this process and the activity of its development, the manifestations are much more pronounced than at the primary stage. This is about:

• painful sensations in the shoulder region, which are formed due to damage to the endings of the nerve type;
• paralysis of the ligaments and, as a result, a change in the voice or its complete absence;
• aggravated swallowing associated with the penetration of cancer cells into the esophageal walls.

An even more pronounced symptom indicating oncology should be considered an abscess of the presented area. Cardinal changes in terms of well-being, respiratory process and other life support functions can be associated with this condition.

Symptoms in males that indicate cancer are painful sensations in organs adjacent to the lung parenchyma. Their formation is decisively affected by the spread and increase in the number of metastases. An equally important manifestation of the pathological condition should be considered a change in the size of those lymph nodes that are located above the collarbone.

Nonspecific manifestations

Talking about the symptoms that relate to non-specific manifestations of lung cancer in males, it is necessary to note the sudden weight loss. It is associated with a deterioration in the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, a change in taste preferences, or a persistent lack of appetite. Unexplained weakness and forced degree of fatigue may join the manifestations of the disease.

In addition, cancer can be associated with frequent mood swings and depression. The presented manifestations of cancer in males should be attributed to the fourth stage of the disease, the manifestations of which are the most nonspecific, because they can depend on a significant number of factors. These include the age of the patient, the absence or presence of complications or chronic diseases. All this modifies the signs, making them different from each other each time. It is equally important to pay attention to what signs of the disease are formed in women.

Symptoms in women - the beginning

At the initial stage of the formation of a pathological condition, female representatives show the following symptoms of the disease, in the first place among which are lethargy, apathy, decreased vitality, weight loss and lack of appetite.

Less common symptoms of the disease include:

• cough, which at first is rare and dry, that is, not productive, and after that, with subsequent development, it turns out to be paroxysmal, exhausting, with a significant release of sputum and other liquids;
• shortness of breath, which is formed even under conditions of minor exertion or at rest at the last stage, with which cancer is associated;
• hemoptysis, which manifests itself arbitrarily without any influence from external conditions.

Symptoms of the initial stage of oncological disease of the lung parenchyma may manifest itself in fever and an increase in body temperature. At later stages, the manifestations are much more pronounced.

Next steps

Symptoms of lung cancer in females, which are characteristic of the later stages of the development of the disease, are hoarseness, voice changes.

This indicates that malignant tumors grow and begin to put pressure on the throat and vocal cords. Therefore, painful sensations are formed that many women ignore, which significantly aggravates lung cancer and its course.

Other signs of cancer are an increase in the size of the lymph nodes, the formation of jaundice. The latter indicates the germination of metastases in the liver. One of the most dangerous symptoms should be considered fragility of bones, which leads to frequent closed, open and compression fractures of the limbs.

Further, swelling in the neck, upper half of the body and face joins the symptoms of cancer. All this indicates that the lymph nodes are enlarged and the main blood vessel is blocked. Additional manifestations associated with lung cancer, oncologists call:

• a dull and gray shade of the face, or, conversely, which occurs with liver damage - the yellow color of the proteins and the skin;
• subcutaneous increase in the size of the veins in the sternum;
• progressive inflammatory process in the axillary and supraclavicular lymph nodes.

It is simply impossible not to pay attention to the presented symptoms indicating lung cancer. However, treatment in the present situation will already be fraught with great difficulties and will be lengthy.

Nonspecific manifestations

Speaking about the nonspecific signs of cancer in women, it is necessary to note a significant aggravation of the general condition, which is provoked by an increase and the onset of germination of neoplasms in the liver area. It can also affect the skeletal system, brain and kidneys. Nonspecific manifestations are formed as follows: neurological disorders and obstructive jaundice.

In addition, a woman is faced with a forced heartbeat, pain in the bones and difficulty in moving food in the esophagus. For a better understanding of the symptoms, it is necessary to contact an oncologist who will prescribe the appropriate diagnosis and subsequent treatment.

The symptoms associated with lung cancer in adults are not always easy to identify. The most difficult is the presented process at an early stage of the development of the disease, however, manifestations of later stages require much more complex and lengthy treatment. Therefore, when forming the first unpleasant manifestations, it is recommended to contact an oncologist as soon as possible.