Lung cancer is a disease in which malignant cancer cells grow in the lungs and is often caused by smoking, by exposure to radon or asbestos, or by exposure to other dangerous chemicals. While there are lung cancer treatment options such as lung cancer medication, lung cancer therapy, or immunotherapy for lung cancer, it still can be a deadly disease. That is why it is so important to know the early warning signs of lung cancer:

1. Chest pain and shortness of breath

Lung cancer can cause a buildup of fluid in the pleural space around the affected lung or lungs, which in turn can cause a shortness of breath otherwise known as dyspnea. A tumor in or around your lung caused by cancer can press on nerves which can cause pain in the chest. Shortness of breath and pain is often felt when breathing deeply, coughing, or laughing.

2. Worsening cough

One of the most common signs of lung cancer is a cough that doesn’t get better after 3 weeks that gets worse and worse as the cancer progresses. About 90% of lung cancer sufferers will have a cough. Some ways to help relieve the cough is by using a humidifier, trying deep breathing, and by clearing your airways using postural drainage.

3. Hoarseness

If you have changes in your voice that aren’t caused by a cold or other more obvious reasons it could be cause for concern. The recurrent laryngeal nerve passes through the chest close to the left lung and a cancerous tumor can put pressure on or paralyze this nerve causing a hoarse voice and difficulty producing sounds.

4. Fatigue

A lot of cancer sufferers report a feeling of fatigue. Fatigue is different from tiredness as it does not always go away with rest or sleep. Some lung cancer treatment options such as chemotherapy or radiation can make fatigue worse as well.

5. Unexplained weight loss

A loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss is a common cause of lung cancer. At the time of diagnosis around 60% of those with lung cancer report feeling loss of appetite and some weight loss. This is caused by the cancer cells as they need more energy than healthy cells so your body burns more calories than it normally would.

6. Coughing up blood or rust-colored sputum

The presence of blood in the sputum (phlegm and spit), otherwise known as hemoptysis, is another very common symptom of lung cancer. Coughing up blood can occur in any stage of lung cancer according to the American Cancer Society. This symptom is caused by bleeding in the airway or the lower respiratory tract and can be a result of the cancerous tumor.