Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women. Known causes for the said disease are smoking, pollution, exposure to radon, asbestos and other toxins.
This type of cancer has no signs or symptoms when it develops so it is hard to diagnose whether it is in its early stage or what. Sad to say, some patients die of the disease after a few signs or no signs at all manifest.
Whenever a person experiences unusual symptoms or changes in their body in a period of time, then that is the only time they will consult their doctors. When a doctor suspects if a patient has lung cancer symptoms, he or she undergoes a thorough physical exam. Here are some symptoms experienced by people suspected to have lung cancer:
- Cough
- Spitting up blood
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Pneumonia
- Weakness
- Chills
- Difficulty swallowing
- Skin paleness or bluish discoloration
To help confirm whether a suspected patient may have lung cancer, diagnostic tools are used like x-ray, CAT and MRI scan, bronchoscopy, needle biopsy, bone scan, PET scan and endoscopy. A sputum sample can be obtained to rule out Tuberculosis and blood tests to observe for cancer indicators in the blood.
For more information about lung cancer visit these following websites:
www.lungusa.org
www.gemzar.com
www.oncologychannel.com
www.cancer.about.com
www.webmd.com
www.emedicinehealth.com.
By being aware about the disease, you can spare your life and your loved ones from acquiring this deadly disease.