Potential Indicators of Lung Cancer: Recognizing Early Signs is Key

9. Fatigue And Weakness

Fatigue and weakness is a commonly observed symptom in individuals diagnosed with lung cancer. Characterized by feelings of weakness, sluggishness, and lack of energy, fatigue is actually one of the most common symptoms seen in individuals who have cancer (of many types). Fatigue occurs because the rapidly reproducing malignant cells in the patient's body are using up all of the nutrients that other healthy cells need to produce adequate amounts of cellular energy. Lung cancer is associated with fatigue and weakness in an individual that lasts longer than six months. This symptom can become debilitating and impact an individual's ability to carry out daily activities and responsibilities. When this symptom interferes with an individual's ability to work, they can incur a significant financial burden. In addition, the fatigue that occurs in lung cancer patients can precipitate psychological symptoms like anxiety, depression, and mood disturbances. A patient with severe weakness and fatigue will often describe the things happening in their life as a result of the symptom because fatigue can be a difficult condition to describe.

10. Recurrent Infections

Recurrent infections are a common manifestation of lung cancer in affected individuals and are often present when a lung cancer diagnosis is made. Because lung cancer is characterized by a moss of rapidly multiplying, non-functional cells in the lungs, the bronchi can become easily obstructed. The bronchi are the tubes that go to each lung after branching off of the trachea. Partial or full obstruction of one of these tubes by malignant cells can cause viruses and bacteria to enter the lungs and multiply before they can be expelled. Aspiration is also another cause of recurrent infections in lung cancer patients. Aspiration occurs when an individual inhales a foreign object such as food into the lungs and is not able to expel it. Pneumonia often occurs when the germs from aspirated food particles or vomit cause the lung to become infected. In addition, recurrent infections can happen due to the impairment of local host defense mechanisms in the respiratory tract. If lung cancer has damaged the mucociliary epithelium responsible for transporting invading microorganisms away from the lung, an infection can develop. Malignant cells can impair the defense mechanism of the alveolar macrophages and tissue histiocytes responsible for engulfing the invading microorganism that has reached the alveoli.