Lung cancer : Symptoms and Diagnosis

Posted By Suborna Fermi Posted on Jun 18, 2026

Introduction

Lung cancer is a deadly disease. It all starts with just growth of cells in the lungs. Mostly, people who smoke regularly are at a higher risk of facing lung cancer rather than the ones who don’t smoke. The risk increases based on the intensity and period of smoking. At stage three, the cancer spreads to lymph nodes and at stage four, it spreads to the other lung as well as the fluid around your heart and lungs.

Primary symptoms of lung cancer

Just like all the other types of cancers, lung cancer is also easier to treat if it can be detected during the earlier stages, therefore, everybody should have knowledge about the symptoms of it as it may help to seek medical attention at the right time.

Symptoms often don’t occur during the earlier stages of this condition. A pneumonia that keeps coming back over and over again may also potentially be a sign of lung cancer. Some other common symptoms of lung cancer include

• Cough that keeps worsening with time
• Chest discomfort or pain
• Shortness of breath or difficulty to breathe
• Wheezing
• Coughing up blood
• Hoarseness
• Unexplained fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Swelling in the upper chest, face, arms, neck

How to diagnose lung cancer?

Fortunately, now there are advanced diagnostic procedures available in most labs that can accurately detect the presence of lung cancer. Tests that are performed to diagnose lung cancer are the following.

• Imaging tests: Imaging tests help to capture photos of the internal parts of the body. They can not only detect cancer in an individual’s lung but also reveal the size and location of the cancer.
• Sputum Cytology: The mucus coughed up from the lungs is called sputum. Sometimes the sputum of an individual is collected and examined under a microscope because sometimes it may show the cells of lung cancer.
• Biopsy: It’s the medical process of collecting samples of tissues that are tested in the lab.

The bottom line

The first thing to do to avoid the chances of lung cancer is to quit smoking because regular smoking doesn't just cause harm to the lungs, it also causes harm to the heart. Apart from that, it is always recommended to seek medical attention as soon as possible once the primary signs of lung cancer starts showing up. You may consider consulting a medical expert to know more in this regard.