Kaukauna, WI
A 17-year-old female asked:
what are symptoms for lung cancer?
16 doctor answers • 36 doctors weighed in

Dr. Kenneth Cheng answered
Family Medicine 31 years experience
Many symptoms: Lung cancer can present with many symptoms, including shortness of breath, cough, bloody sputum, weight loss, fatigue, or no symptoms at all, especially in the early stages of the cancer.
5944 views

Dr. Brian Mott commented
Thoracic Surgery 29 years experience
Many times patients with early stage disease have no symptoms and the cancer is discover accidentally
Aug 20, 2012

Dr. Steven Ginsberg answered
Hematology and Oncology 37 years experience
Many possibilities: Lung cancer symptoms may include shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, blood in the sputum, weight loss.
5944 views

Dr. David Cooke answered
Thoracic Surgery 22 years experience
Depends: Early stage lung cancer can be asymptomatic or no symptoms. Often it is found incidentally by chest xray or chest ct scan. Ct scan screening for high risk patients has shown to be effective. Larger cancers can cause symptoms such as bleeding (hemoptysis), wheezing, weight loss and other symptoms.
5936 views

Dr. Liawaty Ho answered
Hematology and Oncology 23 years experience
Variable: In early stage patients may be without any significant symptoms- -perhaps some coughs- and sometimes is found accidentally . At a later stage symptoms would be more significant -that will include- persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pain associated with breathing ( deep breathing for instance), coughing up blood, weight loss, decrease apetite etc.
5936 views

Dr. David Cooke answered
Thoracic Surgery 22 years experience
Several: Persistent cough, wheezing, coughing up blood, unintentional weight loss, etc...But the majority of lung cancer is without symptoms. For more info: http://bit.Ly/ygfoko.
5458 views

Dr. Loki Skylizard answered
Thoracic Surgery 20 years experience
Often limited: Unfortunately, early lung cancer is often asymptomatic. The following link may assist you in the possible symptoms: http://goo.Gl/vvhhy.
5296 views

Dr. Lorne Bigley answered
Family Medicine 34 years experience
There are many: Symptoms of lung cancer include: coughing up blood, unexplained weight loss, chronic cough, recurrent pneumonia that doesn't clear up, chest pain, and shortness of breath. If you have smoked a lot, you are at much higher risk, but there are some lung cancers that are not associated with smoking.
5586 viewsMerged

Dr. Vinod Shidham answered
Specializes in Pathology
May be!: Lung cancer may be without symptoms initially. As it advances, the symptoms may range from blood in sputum with-cough to shortness of breath to chest pain.
5586 viewsMerged

Dr. Loki Skylizard answered
Thoracic Surgery 20 years experience
Yes...: Unfortunately, lung cancer during earlier stages is often without symptoms. However, as others have said, there may be symptoms with lung cancer. This link may be of help: http://www.Cancer.Net/cancer-types/lung-cancer/symptoms-and-signs.
5308 viewsMerged

Dr. Creighton Wright answered
General Surgery 56 years experience
Many or none : May be asymptomatic until late! and bad!
cough, production, bloody sputum, pain, fluid - effusion and short of breath, wheezing, weight loss.
4750 viewsMerged

Dr. Mario Matos-Cruz answered
Thoracic Surgery 39 years experience
Depends: Staging, location, degree of emphysema, co morbidities will determine symptoms on a particular individual. In general, most patients have no symptoms until late. Bloody sputum sometimes occurs. Some tumors may produce hormones. Weight loss may occur with advanced stage. Pneumonia, stridor, bloody pleural effusions, horner's syndrome, chest wall arm pains. Shortness of breath, recurrent pneumonias.
4725 viewsMerged

Dr. Joseph Gutman answered
Internal Medicine 43 years experience
Well...: Most often there are no symptoms. But persistent cough, unexplained weight loss, and a history of risk factors such a smoking or environmental exposures.
There are types of lung cancer that are different... Cough, intractable, is something that often leads to a chest X-ray or even a high resolution CT scan, which is the way to find it.
3921 viewsMerged

Dr. John Fung answered
General Surgery 39 years experience
None in early stages: Lung cancer may not produce any noticeable symptoms in the early stages. In approximately 40 percent of people diagnosed with lung cancer, the diagnosis is made after the disease has advanced. In one third of those diagnosed, the cancer has reached stage 3. Cough, weight loss, blood in sputum, hoarseness, and shortness of breath are some symptoms.
3921 viewsMerged

A Verified Doctor answered
A US doctor answered Learn more
Lung cancer: Two things:
1: If you think you have lung cancer you should start with a clinic visit to the Emergency Facility.
2: What are the symptoms you have had?
Please let me know how things go.
862 viewsMerged

Dr. Sewa Legha answered
Medical Oncology 50 years experience
Many, varied: The common symptoms are cough, chest pain, shortness of breath and weight loss. Sometimes the symptoms are due to metastases(spread tumor). In that case you may have bone pains or headaches due to tumor spread to the Bones and brain respectively.
862 viewsMerged

Dr. Michael Gabor answered
Diagnostic Radiology 33 years experience
It depends: on the extent, location, and type of lung cancer. There may be no symptoms with a small tumor. With more extensive involvement, there may be constitutional symptoms such as weight loss. There are numerous non metastatic potential disorders(paraneoplastic syndromes). There may be cough, chest pain, or hemoptysis depending on the local extent.
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Similar questions
A 43-year-old member asked:
Symptoms of lung cancer include what things?
3 doctor answers • 9 doctors weighed in

Dr. Richard Bensinger answered
Ophthalmology 52 years experience
Several things: Early symptoms of lung cancer include chronic coughing, chest pain, coughing up blood, and fatigue. When more advanced the problems worsen and the symptoms more widespread.
5868 views
A 45-year-old member asked:
What are common lung cancer symptoms?
3 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in

Dr. Linda Gromko answered
Family Medicine 48 years experience
Check if worried.: There may be cough, coughing up blood, difficulty breathing, weight loss, fatigue - or no early signs at all! early testing can lead to cure in this day and age. If you've been a smoker or had significant sidestream smoke exposure - or if you work around industrial chemicals or are a firefighter, talk to your doctor. I have a number of healthy lung cancer-free women in my practice, doing great!
5350 views
A 49-year-old member asked:
What are the common symptoms of lung cancer?
3 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

Dr. David Greenfield answered
Thoracic Surgery 37 years experience
Depends: Often none initially. Symptoms can include chest pain, arm pain or numbness, fatigue, weight loss, coughing, coughing up blood or mucous, shortness of breath, hoarseness.
5096 views
A 49-year-old member asked:
Doctors, what are the symptoms to lung cancer ?
2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

Dr. Carlos Encarnacion answered
Medical Oncology 35 years experience
Often none: ...Until the cancer is advanced and incurable. When symptoms happen, they can be lung related (cough, shortness of breath, spitting blood) or related to advanced disease like bone pain or headaches due to metastases. Also, patients can experience fatigue and weight loss. If you smoke, please stop.
4233 views
A 50-year-old member asked:
What are lung cancer symptoms?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Carlos Encarnacion answered
Medical Oncology 35 years experience
Often none: ...Until the cancer is advanced, thus the potential benefit of screening methods in patients at risk. When symptoms happen, they are lung related (cough, shortness of breath, spitting blood) or related to advanced disease like bone pain or headaches due to metastases. Also, patients can experience fatigue and weight loss. If you smoke, please don't.
4233 views
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Last updated Mar 28, 2020
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