The symptoms experienced by a person which suggest the possibility that he or she may have lung cancer are various. These symptoms are all the more suggestive of the possibility of lung cancer if the person also has the risk factor of having smoked cigarettes for many years.We need to remember that in cigarette smoking, the risks for lung cancer are much greater with the number of YEARS that the person has smoked rather than with the number of CIGARETTES that the person has smoked.

Having said that, the symptoms that we should look for in a person which may indicate that the person has lung cancer are as follows:

1. COUGH. A persistent dry cough that “will not go away”  – especially in a person who has smoked  cigarettes for a number of years (or even in someone who has never smoked cigarettes) is an important clue to make us think of the possibility of lung cancer. Of course, there are other reasons why someone may cough, such as emphysema or pneumonia, but in a person who has a persistent dry cough (a dry cough means that the person coughs but does not produce much sputum when he or she coughs) and who also has a risk factor such as a long standing smoking history, this should make us think of the possibility of lung cancer.

2. CHEST PAIN. Another clue or symptom for the possibility of having lung cancer is chest pain. Of course we have all heard that chest pain may mean a problem with the heart such as a heart attack, but we need to keep in mind that lung cancer can also cause chest pain. We should bear this in mind particularly in a person who has smoked for a number of years and who develops chest pain that is not associated with exercise.

3. COUGHING UP BLOOD. Another important symptom for the possibilty that a person may have lung cancer is coughing up blood. No one should be coughing up blood. If we know of someone who is doing this, we need to think that something is wrong. In a person who has smoked for a number of years, if he or she starts to cough up blood, we need to think of the possibility of lung cancer. Of course, there are other reasons why someone may cough up blood such as pneumonia or emphysema or tuberculosis (particularly in some parts of the world); however, we need to keep the possibility of a lung cancer is mind if we see someone who is coughing up blood – especially if that person is coughing up small amounts of blood a little at a time over days and days.

4. UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSS. Another important symptom or clue that someone may have lung cancer is unexplained weight loss. If we know of someone who seems to be eating a normal, regular diet and just “can’t seem to hold on to his or her weight”, we need to think of the possibility of a lung cancer. This is especially true if the person who has this unexplained weight loss also has a risk factor of having smoked for a number of years and is coughing. There are other reasons why someone may be having unexplained weight loss such as other cancer types – for example Pancreas Cancer. However, if we know of someone who has risk factors such as having smoked for years and is losing weight for no clear reason (in other words, if they are not dieting or trying to lose weight) we need to think of the possibility of lung cancer.

5. HOARSENESS. Another important symptom or clue for the possibility that someone may have lung cancer is a hoarse voice. If we know of someone who develops a raspy, hoarse voice that does not seem to improve over time, we need to think of the possibility of lung cancer. There are other possible reasons for someone to have a hoarse voice, such as laryngitis or a throat infection, but in a person with a risk factor such as having smoked for years, a voice hoarseness that will not go away for days and days may be a symptom of lung cancer.

6. FREQUENT PNEUMONIAS. Another important symptom that may suggest that someone may have lung cancer is the development of frequent pneumonias. This is especially significant if the person with these frequent pneumonias also has a long standing smoking history.

These are some of the key symptoms or “clues” that should help us identify someone who may possibly have lung cancer. These and many other principles and details about lung cancer are clearly explained in easy-to-understand language in the Lung Cancer audio CD that is available on www.CancerInPlainEnglish.com.