Lung Cancer Symptoms and Stages

The symptoms of lung cancer depend on such factors as how advanced the cancer has become and what parts of the body it is affecting. Cancer is a disease that is subject to staging, meaning that a designation is assigned to indicate how much the cancer has spread. There are two main kinds of lung cancer--small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. These two types produce similar symptoms but are staged differently.

Symptoms

• Lung cancer will normally cause no symptoms in the early stage of the disease, with as many as one quarter of all cases being discovered by routine X-rays or other imaging scans with no physical sign of the ailment first indicating a problem. As the cancer advances it will bring about a number of problems. A persistent cough that will not stop and shortness of breath are signs of lung cancer as is wheezing and chest pain. Coughing up blood is also possible with lung cancer. These symptoms are caused by the growth of the cancer as it interferes with the surrounding lung tissue.

Advanced Symptoms

• When the cancer begins to affect nerves in the region of the lung, it can cause pain to areas, such as the shoulders and arms. The vocal cords of the lung cancer patient can also be compromised, with hoarseness a result. If the cancer moves to the esophagus, then it becomes hard to swallow. Pneumonia is not an uncommon symptom as the cancer advances since infections can occur as airways are obstructed. Lung cancer which makes it way into the bones can precipitate great pain and when it spreads, or metastasizes, to the brain then many neurological problems, including blurry vision, headaches and seizures can occur.

Stages of Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

• Most types of cancer have a number assigned to each stage, with the lower number indicating that the cancer is not advanced. With non-small cell lung cancer, Stage I means that the disease is confined at that point only in the lung. Stages II and III specify that the cancer has advanced outside of the lung but still is found only in the chest region. The cancer has moved outwards to other parts of the body in Stage IV.

Staging of Small Cell Lung Cancer

• Small cell lung cancer is one kind of cancer that is not staged. It is described as either being limited or extensive. When it is limited, the cancer is still in the chest region where it originated. However, when the cancer is called extensive, it has spread beyond the chest cavity and into other parts of the patient.

Staging and Treatment

• The stage of lung cancer will determine its treatment. In small cell lung cancer cases, chemotherapy, radiation treatment, and in some instances, surgery is the treatment when the cancer has been determined to be limited. Often there is a combination of these treatments. However, when the cancer is ruled to be extensive, the treatment focuses on reducing the effects of symptoms and making the patient more comfortable. In non-small cell lung cancer it is routine for surgery to be employed during Stage I. Surgery along with radiation and chemotherapy is the treatment at Stage II while surgery is no longer possible in Stage III in the majority of cases. Stages III and IV will be treated with radiation, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy and supportive care for the individual.