Why should you know the number-one sign of lung cancer? While prostate cancer is more common in men and breast cancer is more common in women, more Americans die of lung cancer every year than of prostate, breast, and colon cancers combined, according to the American Cancer Society.
Meet the experts: David Yashar, M.D., a hematologist-medical oncologist at MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA; Jimmy Johannes, M.D., a pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist at MemorialCare Medical Group in Long Beach, CA.
The majority of people diagnosed with lung cancer are over 65, per the American Cancer Society. While cigarette smoking is by far the largest risk factor, increasing your risk of getting lung cancer by up to 30 times, exposure to the naturally occurring gas radon is also a top cause, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
So what is the top indicator that you may have lung cancer? “One common sign is a persistent cough that does not get better despite supportive care or antibiotics,” says David Yashar, M.D., a hematologist-medical oncologist at MemorialCare Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in Long Beach, CA. “If the cough is persistent for more than 2-3 weeks, I would call a doctor for further evaluation.”
That said, “often, lung cancer doesn’t cause any symptoms until it is advanced,” notes Jimmy Johannes, M.D., a pulmonologist and critical care medicine specialist at MemorialCare Medical Group in Long Beach, CA. “The signs and symptoms that can suggest lung cancer are often explained by other conditions or factors, and lung cancer may be a less likely reason for the symptoms.” He adds that some of these other signs include bloody sputum, weight loss, chest wall pain, and shortness of breath.
Still, especially if you have a history of smoking, if any of these symptoms hang around it’s worth making an appointment with your physician. “If the suspicion is high enough, a chest X-ray and a CT scan of the chest may be needed to look for a lung nodule or a mass,” Dr. Johannes says. Depending on what you find, you can move forward with treatment from there.
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