Symptoms, Risks, & Diagnosis

Symptoms:

Symptoms of Lung Cancer do not often appear until the condition has advanced. Common indications for lung cancer include:

• coughing (often with blood, phlegm, dry, or severe)
• pain in the chest or rib
• difficulty breathing
• weight loss, fatigue, and or loss of appetite

Risk factors of lung cancer: Smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, and about 80% of lung cancer deaths are caused by smoking or second hand smoke. Though, not all lung cancer is caused by smoking.  Sometimes genetics and exposure to chemicals and pollution can also cause lung cancer in non-smokers.

Diagnosis: Lung Cancer is diagnosed through a physical exam, medical history, and often the use of medical imaging and testing.  Medical imaging such as Chest X-Ray, CT Scans, PET Scans, and MRIs are commonly used to identify the location and severity of the cancer.  Further testing of the identified cancerous cells may also be performed to determine specific diagnosis and treatment options. Such testing includes thoracentesis (fluid extracted from the lungs) or biopsies (cells collected either by using a needle or surgery).