Will people with lung cancer experience weight loss?

Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

Updated on September 04, 2024

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This question should be answered specifically. Some people may initially experience symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue when they start to develop lung cancer. Some people with better physical constitution may not lose weight so easily. However, if a malignant tumor persists in the body for a long time, it will consume the body's nutrients and lead to a state of cachexia, characterized by systemic toxicity symptoms including weight loss, fatigue, fever, and other similar symptoms.

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Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

1min 13sec

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Early symptoms of lung cancer

Early-stage lung cancer, especially peripheral lung cancer, often has no symptoms and is mostly found during chest X-rays or CT scans. The clinical symptoms of lung cancer are closely related to the location, size, pathological type of the tumor, whether it compresses or invades adjacent organs, and whether there is metastasis. The symptoms of lung cancer generally include: First, some symptoms of the primary tumor growing locally, including cough, hemoptysis, difficulty breathing, and chest pain. When the tumor grows inside a larger bronchus, it might cause some irritative coughing. Second, as the tumor continues to grow and affects the drainage of the bronchi, it may lead to secondary lung infections, presenting with symptoms such as cough and purulent sputum. Third, there might be bloody sputum streaked with blood or intermittent minor hemoptysis, though significant hemoptysis is very rare.

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Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

1min 7sec

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How to detect early symptoms of lung cancer?

So, the early symptoms of lung cancer often include a cough, hemoptysis, difficulty breathing, and chest pain. However, these symptoms, particularly the irritating cough, typically appear after the tumor has grown in the larger bronchi; this is often mistaken for a cough following a cold, leading to misdiagnosis or delayed treatment. Therefore, if this type of irritating cough occurs, it is essential to seek medical attention promptly and to undergo chest X-ray or CT scan. Second, as the tumor continues to grow and affects the drainage of the bronchus, secondary lung infections may occur, often characterized by coughing up pus-like sputum, and an increase in the amount of sputum, which should also be noted. Third, a very common symptom is the presence of blood in the sputum, or streaks of blood, or intermittent minor hemoptysis, which must be taken seriously.

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Written by Han Shun Li

Pulmonology

44sec

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Is coughing up blood lung cancer?

Everyone knows that lung cancer can cause coughing up blood, but does coughing up blood necessarily mean one has lung cancer? It should not be interpreted this way. Although lung cancer can cause coughing up blood, there are many reasons for coughing up blood, and it is not only caused by lung cancer. Reasons for coughing up blood can also include bronchitis, pneumonia, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, lung abscess, and many others. Therefore, if coughing up blood occurs, it doesn't necessarily mean one has lung cancer, and there is no need for excessive worry. If coughing up blood occurs, it is important to visit a hospital in a timely manner, where a doctor can conduct checks like chest X-rays to further investigate the cause.

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Written by Wang Cheng Lin

Orthopedics

45sec

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Does shoulder pain mean lung cancer?

The most common cause of shoulder pain is chronic strain of the ligaments and muscles in the shoulder, not lung cancer. Lung cancer accounts for only a small portion of the reasons. If a patient has lung cancer, it can spread to the shoulder, or the lung cancer itself can produce a type of referred pain, which can cause shoulder pain. To determine the cause, it is necessary to go to the hospital for an X-ray of the shoulder joint or a plain chest film, as well as an MRI of the shoulder joint, to clarify the cause of the shoulder pain. If the pain is solely due to the muscles or ligaments in the shoulder, it can be relieved through conservative treatments such as massage, acupuncture, electrotherapy, and magnetotherapy.

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Written by Hu Zhong Dong

Medical Oncology

1min 15sec

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Symptoms of advanced lung cancer

Late-stage lung cancer may cause pain. For example, bone metastasis is a common site of metastasis for lung cancer, which can lead to pain; if it metastasizes to the liver, it can cause expansive pain in the liver, and chest tightness and shortness of breath are also common symptoms of late-stage lung cancer. If the tumor is located at the hilum of the lung, compressing the lobar bronchi, main bronchus, etc., compression can lead to corresponding lung collapse, possibly causing chest tightness and shortness of breath. Additionally, a large amount of pleural effusion can also occupy the thoracic cavity, compressing the lungs, leading to difficulties in breathing due to chest tightness. Coughing might be a common symptom in lung cancer patients, especially in those whose tumors are located at the hilum of the lung. Hoarseness is caused by compression of the recurrent laryngeal nerve, and this symptom might be alleviated after tumor treatment. Furthermore, some patients with advanced-stage lung cancer may experience swelling of the upper limbs and face, which is caused by the tumor compressing the superior vena cava.