Lung cancer is one of the most common and serious types of cancer. Around 47,000 people are diagnosed with the condition every year in the UK. Partly what makes lung cancer so serious is that it’s not usually detected until it has progressed – this leads to poorer survival outcomes. However, spotting the symptoms as soon as they arise can greatly improve your odds. It is important for people to seek an “urgent referral” if they notice this specific warning sign.
“Unexplained haemoptysis warrants urgent referral (within 14 days) for computed tomography imaging.”
Haemoptysis, also known as coughing of blood, is one of the main warning signs of lung cancer.
Other general signs include:
- A change in a cough you have had for a long time
- Breathlessness
- Unexplained weight loss
- Ongoing chest infections
- A hoarse voice
- Difficulty swallowing
- Changes in the shape of your fingers and nails called finger clubbing
- Swelling of the face caused by a blockage of a main blood vessel (superior vena cava obstruction)
- Loss of appetite.
The importance of spotting lung cancer early
Lung cancer survival rates are generally poorer than other types of cancer, owing in part to the absence of symptoms in the beginning.
About one in three people with the condition live for at least one year after they’re diagnosed and about one in 20 people live at least 10 years.
However, survival rates vary widely, depending on how far the cancer has spread at the time of diagnosis.