What are three symptoms to lung cancer?

An estimated 162,000 Americans died from lung cancer in 2006. That's more than the combined deaths from colon, prostate and breast cancer. And it's getting worse; the incidents of lung cancer in the United States have increased by nearly 60 percent over the past three decades. Although cigarette smoking is the main cause of lung cancer, there are other contributing factors, and lung cancers are generally extremely difficult to diagnose. Still, there are many symptoms to lung cancer to watch for.

Two Types of Lung Cancer

There are two major types of lung cancers: Non-small cell and small cell lung cancer. Named for their respective appearance under a microscope, these abnormal masses of lung cancer cells, or tumors, are responsible for a wide range of symptoms and can lead to chronic pneumonia, bronchitis and even death. While non-small cell lung cancer is the more common type of lung cancer, small cell lung cancer is the more dangerous, as it grows more quickly and can spread rapidly to other parts of the body. The most common source of lung cancer is cigarette smoke, which causes tumors to grow in the lungs. Tumors generally form when cells begin to grow and multiply too rapidly, often as a result of DNA damage. DNA, the genetic blueprint that determines a cell's growth, can be damaged in a number of ways, generally by exposure to radiation or carcinogenic (cancer producing) substances.

Three Main Symptoms of Lung Cancer

The symptoms of lung cancer often vary widely from one patient to the next, sometimes resembling those of other common and less serious respiratory diseases, making it extremely difficult to diagnose. Three main symptoms are commonly seen in a majority of lung cancer patients: Shortness of breath, a persistent and painful cough, and painful breathing or coughing. Shortness of breath associated with lung cancer is often severe and chronic, while coughs related to lung cancer are often accompanied by discharges of blood, fluid or phlegm. Depending on the position of the tumor or tumors, lung cancer can cause pain throughout the body, frequently below the ribs and in the shoulders.

Other Symptoms of Lung Cancer

Other symptoms of lung cancer include nerve-related and blood vessel-related facial disorders, as well as chest pain, chest pressure, and coughing. Patients may exhibit symptoms collectively known as Horner's Syndrome, which include drooping of an eyelid and an inability to sweat on one side of the face. These symptoms are caused by lung cancer tumors called Pancoast tumors, which grow in the upper lungs, putting pressure on nerves that run up the neck and into the face.

Patients can also exhibit signs of Superior Vena Cava Obstruction, or SVCO, in which tumors squeeze against the superior vena cava, the large blood vessel that carries blood to the heart, creating a blockage that causes the face to fill with liquid and swell. Other symptoms of SVCO include swelling of the neck, arms and hands, swollen blue veins on the chest, breathlessness, headaches and dizziness.

A third condition associated with lung cancer is Pleural Effusion, in which the lungs are surrounded by excessive fluid, constricting a person's ability to breath. Common symptoms of Pleural Effusion include: Chest pain, chest pressure, labored breathing and coughing.

Other symptoms of lung cancer can include fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, weakness, swelling of lymph nodes in the neck, blood clots (also known as thrombosis), swelling of the breasts in men, dizziness, confusion, hoarseness, and difficulty swallowing.

Though all these symptoms aren't necessarily indications of lung cancer, it is still a good idea to go to your doctor if you experience them.