Symptoms of Lung Cancer
The primary risk factor for contracting lung cancer is the patient’s continued smoking; this is thought to be responsible for 90% of cases of symptoms of lung cancer. Tobacco contains many carcinogens; the main one being benzo-a-pyrene, commonly known as tar; this is an aggressive cause of lung cancer symptoms. Other environmental factors that can result in lung cancer are less known or less often diagnosed as the cause of cancer, such as the exposure to radon in regions high in concentrations of granite, inhalation of asbestos fibers, exposure to radioactivity; exposure to many carcinogenic materials including chrome, arsenic, iron oxides and many more are linked to symptoms of lung cancer.
Lung cancer is also well recognized as an occupational disease, in the event of exposure to ionizing radiation, asbestos, chromium, nickel, tar, the arsenates, and certain chemicals in a work environment over prolonged periods is known to induce symptoms of lung cancer. The role of passive smoking is now considered to be proven; it is considered to multiply by a factor of three the risk of lung cancer, but is only believed to be directly responsible for a small number of cases of cancer per year. The role of human papillomavirus or HPV, is well known for its association with cancer of the cervix, and possibly other cancers, including lung cancer. A recent study also demonstrates the increased incidence of symptoms of lung cancer in patients infected with the HIV virus. Of course there is also, as for all cancers, an individual susceptibility to a genetic origin for the development of lung cancer.
Lung cancer is often detected by chance during an X-ray examination of the ribcage. The disease usually causes no trouble at an early stage. The first signs may be an irritating and persistent cough, sputum, breathing difficulties, or repeated lung infections, accompanied by fever, any of these may, or may not, be associated with lung cancer symptoms. There are, however, these lung cancer symptoms among smokers suffering from chronic bronchitis, which can frequently last for months and even years before being diagnosed as symptoms of lung cancer. The pneumonia and bloody sputum are more specific characteristics of malignancy, and should be seriously considered as symptoms of lung cancer.
In the case of a more advanced stage of the disease, there is often fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight, but also pain when the cancer has spread and settled in neighboring organs. Also, there may be swallowing disorders known as violation of the esophagus and a blood stasis in the neck, obstructing the flow of blood, or associated heart disease, could all be considered as symptoms of lung cancer.