“If you have any symptoms, visit your doctor. Chances are it is nothing serious, but it is always worth getting yourself checked. You are not wasting anyone’s time.”
How common is lung cancer in the UK?
More than 46,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in the UK every year.
While smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer, passive smoking is another risk factor, as too is a lack of exercise.
Other risk factors for developing lung cancer may include:
- Poor diet
- Diesel fumes
- Exposure to asbestos, radon gas and other occupational chemicals.
Lung cancer may cause chest or shoulder pain, a loss of appetite and, consequently, unintentional weight loss.
READ MORE: How to tell you’ve had a heart attack for a ‘few minutes’ without realising – the signs
A growing tumour could lead to unexplained fatigue and a lack of energy, a hoarse voice, and/or coughing up blood.
For people who already suffer from a chronic cough, if there’s been a change or it’s got worse, it could be the deadly disease growing inside of the lung.
“We have no sense of pain inside our lungs, so it can be difficult to spot changes until they affect our breathing,” the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation notes.
