Will people with lung cancer experience weight loss?

Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

Updated on September 04, 2024

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This question should be answered specifically. Some people may initially experience symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue when they start to develop lung cancer. Some people with better physical constitution may not lose weight so easily. However, if a malignant tumor persists in the body for a long time, it will consume the body's nutrients and lead to a state of cachexia, characterized by systemic toxicity symptoms including weight loss, fatigue, fever, and other similar symptoms.

Other Voices

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Written by Yang Feng

Pulmonology

43sec

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Symptoms of lung cancer transformation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Lung cancer is a complication of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but it is relatively less common for COPD patients to also have lung cancer. Regular health check-ups, including annual lung CT scans, can help identify the possibility of cancerous changes at an early stage. In the early stages of lung cancer, patients generally do not show obvious clinical symptoms. As the disease progresses, symptoms such as coughing up blood, weight loss, fatigue, and night sweats may occur. However, since the clinical symptoms of lung cancer are similar to other lung diseases, there are no typical clinical features, and imaging studies are needed for preliminary screening.

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Written by An Yong Peng

Pulmonology

58sec

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Is coughing severe in the early stages of lung cancer?

Patients with lung cancer in the early stages may experience severe coughing, mild coughing, or no coughing symptoms at all. Many early-stage lung cancer patients have lesions located near the periphery of the lungs that do not involve the airways or other significant structures, typically resulting in no clinical symptoms. By the time clinical symptoms appear, the patient may already be in the middle or late stages of lung cancer. Additionally, it is important to note that some patients with early-stage lung cancer may also experience coughing, which can range from severe to mild, and may include coughing up blood. Such symptoms are often seen in early-stage central lung cancer, which frequently presents with cough and blood in the sputum. Therefore, older patients with a long history of smoking who suddenly develop a cough or start coughing up blood should be highly vigilant and likely need to undergo chest CT scans, bronchoscopy, and other related examinations for evaluation.

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Written by An Yong Peng

Pulmonology

1min 1sec

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Does lung cancer cause a dry cough and a feeling of stuffiness?

Lung cancer can present symptoms of chest tightness along with dry cough, or it may simply manifest as dry cough alone. Some early-stage lung cancers might only involve dry cough without other symptoms like chest tightness or breathing difficulties. However, for patients with advanced lung cancer, in addition to dry cough, symptoms may include chest tightness and breathing difficulties. Advanced lung cancer can compress the patient's major airways, leading to narrowing of these airways, and thus cause symptoms such as dry cough and chest tightness. In advanced stages, lung cancer may also be accompanied by a significant accumulation of pleural effusion. In such cases, patients might experience chest tightness and breathing difficulties along with dry cough. Therefore, lung cancer can either solely manifest as dry cough or may also be accompanied by symptoms of chest tightness, particularly in advanced stages, where it is relatively common to have chest tightness along with dry cough.

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Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

1min 12sec

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How is lung cancer caused?

The specific causes of lung cancer are not completely clear, but there are some high-risk factors. Research has shown that lung cancer is influenced by a combination of genetic defects and internal and external environmental carcinogens. It is undeniable that long-term heavy smoking is the most important carcinogenic factor for lung cancer, with the amount and duration of smoking being positively correlated with the incidence of lung cancer. Secondly, environmental factors, such as working with asbestos or in mining areas, are also very relevant to the incidence of lung cancer. Thirdly, irregular eating habits, rest, alcohol consumption, indoor combustion, coal smoke, fumes from kitchen cooking, and carcinogenic substances released from indoor decorations and materials are also related. Fourthly, the body's internal immune status, metabolic abnormalities, genetic factors, and chronic lung infections also have a significant impact.

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Written by Gong Chun

Oncology

1min 20sec

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Can lung cancer be cured?

Lung cancer is a type of malignant tumor, so whether it can be cured depends on the circumstances and can only be assessed over time. If the patient is eligible for surgery and there is no recurrence or metastasis after the operation, then adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy may be effective. If the evaluation after treatment shows no recurrence or metastasis and the condition is stable, then naturally, the patient's five-year survival rate will be higher. However, if there is recurrence or metastasis after surgery and the cancer is not very responsive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, then the five-year survival rate will be much lower. The same applies to small cell lung cancer. Generally, small cell lung cancer is more responsive to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but if it is not, then the five-year survival rate is also low. Thus, this question can only be addressed by considering the individual's pathology stage, nutritional status, physical condition, cardiopulmonary function, and many other factors. It cannot be broadly answered.