Lung Cancer: Diagnosis, Treatment Principles, and Screening
Lung Cancer Symptom That Shows In Fingers And Often Goes Ignored
Lung cancer is of of the most common types, the NHS states (Image: Getty)
Whilst lung cancer is one of the most common and serious types of the disease, many people don't know all the signs and symptoms - and one in particular often goes ignored. Each year, more than 43,000 people are diagnosed with the condition in the UK, reports the NHS.
There are many common indicators of the disease, such as coughing a lot, especially blood. But at the start, there are "usually no signs or symptoms". Later, however, symptoms eventually develop. The reminder comes as Debbie Nelson, Eminem's mum, died at the age of 69. The rapper's representative, Dennis Dennehy, confirmed his mother's death to US media, with Nelson having previously been diagnosed with lung cancer.
What are the signs and symptoms of lung cancer? Debbie Nelson, Eminem's mum, has died at the age of 69. Nelson was previously diagnosed with lung cancer (Image:
Mark Weiss/Getty Images)Whilst a persistent cough and coughing up blood is a sign something is wrong, another symptom that's often forgotten about is the clubbing of fingers. Changes in the appearance of your fingers can look like your fingers are more curved or their ends becoming larger.
Other less common symptoms of lung cancer include:
The main symptoms of lung cancer include:
The NHS warns that you need to "see a GP if you have any of the main symptoms of lung cancer or any of the less common symptoms."
Cancer Research warning The inflammation can cause fingers to change shape (Image:
Getty)Cancer Research UK has further expanded on this lesser-known symptom, stating finger clubbing "is more common in non-small cell lung cancer. They may also have pain and swelling in their joints. This condition is called hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPOA)."
What are the symptoms of HPOA?The cancer experts explain that HPOA most often causes inflammation of bones and joints in the wrists and ankles. They may show up on bone scans or x-rays. However ankles and wrists can become swollen and inflamed, causing a lot of pain and difficulty when moving them.
One of the most common symptoms of HPOA is a condition known as clubbing. This means:
"Clubbing of the fingers is a common symptom of lung and heart conditions. It is thought that it is caused by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF is a type of growth factor. Growth factors are chemicals produced by the body that control cell growth. The lack of oxygen in the blood stimulates VEGF", they add. You can find out more about Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HPOA) via the Cancer Research UK website here.
Your FAQs, Answered: Lung Cancer And White Blood Cell Count
You may experience a high white blood cell count with lung cancer due to infections. Medications, such as chemotherapy, may also affect your white blood cell count.
Lung cancer begins with lung cells that have changed, multiplied, and then grouped to form a tumor. This cancer can spread through your body but is still called lung cancer because of where the first altered cells originated.
There are two main types of lung cancer.
Most lung cancers are called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This group includes:
The second, smaller category is called small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and is sometimes also called oat cell cancer.
Cancer in your body can affect the white blood cells (WBC) of your immune system. WBCs are made in bone marrow and found in blood and lymphatic fluid. There are several different types of WBCs, all of which work together to protect you from disease and infection.
A normal WBC count ranges from 3,700 to 10,500 per microliter of blood. A count that's too high or too low tells your doctor that you may have a condition that needs medical help. Lung cancer is one such condition: Your WBC count might be out of range when you're diagnosed.
The chemotherapy used to treat cancer can interfere with the normal function of your bone marrow. This is where your WBCs are made.
Chemotherapy affects your entire body, so it can reach the cells of your bone marrow even though the cancer it's treating may be elsewhere in your body. Damage to white blood cells can cause your WBC count to drop.
Radiation therapy is confined to a specific location, but if the treatment area includes large bones that produce marrow, this can also cause your WBC count to decrease.
A viral infection can also affect your WBC count. If the infection disrupts the white cell production in your bone marrow, your WBC count will decrease.
Sometimes, cancer growth in bone marrow can interfere with the normal production of WBCs which lowers their count.
If cancerous cells from your lungs have spread to your bone marrow and then multiplied, this is called metastasis. Bone metastases happen in 30 percent to 40 percent of lung cancer cases.
Lung cancer is not diagnosed with bloodwork. Instead, lung cancer is usually discovered because it causes symptoms. Doctors make their final diagnosis after examining a sample of lung cells in a lab.
Information and procedures that doctors can use to diagnose lung cancer and monitor its spread include:
Bloodwork is still important for your doctor to assess your overall health and to see whether you're a candidate for certain treatments, like surgery.
WBCs are an important part of your immune system. They help you fight infection and are most effective when their numbers fall within a certain range.
A WBC count that's too low means that you're at risk for infection. Your doctor will monitor your WBC during treatment to make sure that it doesn't get too low.
Your WBC is so important that if treatment causes it to drop too far, your doctor may temporarily stop the treatment. Once your WBC returns to safe levels, cancer treatment can resume.
Tell your doctor right away if you experience any signs of low WBC count, which include:
Self-care is always important, but even more so if you have a low WBC count. Eat a nutritious diet, get plenty of rest, and avoid germs and injury as much as possible.
Your WBCs protect your body from infection. If you have too many or too few, this can tell your doctor that you might have a condition that needs treatment. Lung cancer is one such condition.
Lung cancer originates in your lungs but can spread through your body. It's diagnosed by a cell analysis in a lab.
Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can lower your WBC count, which can increase your infection risk. Your doctor will monitor your blood count levels and adjust treatment as necessary.
Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that works by strengthening your immune system.
Cancer grows because it can interfere with your immune system, so the goal of immunotherapy is to compensate for this issue and make your immune system stronger.
Lung Cancer Resource Center
Surprising Signs You Might Have Lung CancerLearn the surprising signs that you could be dealing with lung cancer. Coughing and chest pain are the better-known ones, but, as you'll see in this WebMD slideshow, symptoms can crop up in other places in your body, too.
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