How to Recognize the Early Signs of Lung Cancer in Women
Incidence of lung cancer deaths in women grew one hundred and fifty percent during a period of time from 1974 until 1994. During the same time period there was an increase of merely twenty percent in men. This disease is responsible for more deaths in women than breast cancer. It is reported that half of all new cases of this illness are women.
It can take several years for the warning signs and symptoms of lung cancer to arise. This may lead to the disease not being diagnosed until it is in an advance stage. Symptoms that can arise may include:
Back, shoulder, or chest pain that is relentless and unrelated to pain that can occur from coughing.
Out of breath.
Intense, unrelenting smoker's cough.
Persistent nonsmoker's cough that lasts longer than two weeks.
Occurrences of bronchitis or pneumonia that keep coming back.
Change in color of sputum (mucus or phlegm mixed with saliva).
Finding blood in sputum.
Other late stage lung cancer related signs or symptoms may be:
Loss of desire for food.
Weight loss that cannot be explained.
Low energy.
Swelling in the neck and face.
Headache, aching joints, bone pain.
A wobbly gait and other neurologic signs such as memory loss.
Bone breakage not related to an accident.
Detecting lung cancer early can result in life and death for someone suffering with this disease. If it is found early while it is affecting only the lungs (or remaining localized) the five year survival rate is nearly fifty percent.
There are also symptoms and signs that can be caused by the spread of lung cancer to other parts of one's body. These signs may include:
Bleeding.
Bone breakage.
Blood clots.
Headache.
Physical weakness.
More research is needed to understand why the number or women dying from lung cancer is increasing. Women are one and a half times more at risk for the disease than men. Women are smoking fewer cigarettes and they inhale less of the cigarettes that they do smoke but risks of the illness are still higher for them. Scientists suppose this could be genetically linked.
Early detection may save a woman's life. Those experiencing these symptoms or signs should consult their physician as soon as possible.
Smoking cigarettes is viewed as the main reason for eighty percent of the lung cancer deaths in women.
