Lung cancer is one of the most serious types of cancer to be diagnosed, as it’s usually difficult to spot until it has spread to other parts of the body. But it’s also one of the most common cancers to be diagnosed in the UK, warned the NHS. Signs of the disease only tend to reveal themselves once the cancer has spread through the lungs. You could be at risk of lung cancer if you notice some subtle changes to your voice, it’s been revealed.
Lung cancer often doesn’t cause symptoms in the early stages
Very Well Health
Developing a hoarse voice could be an early warning sign of lung cancer, according to medical website Very Well Health.
It’s a relatively common lung cancer symptom, and could be caused by a tumour blocked passageways.
Hoarseness can make your voice sound more raspy or strained, while it could also affect the volume or pitch of your voice.
“As with most cancers, early detection improves treatment outcomes for people with lung cancer,” said the medical website.
“However, lung cancer often doesn’t cause symptoms in the early stages and when it does, the symptoms may easily be confused with those for other conditions.
“Hoarseness, usually experienced by a person as an increased amount of effort used to produce a decreased volume of voice, is a relatively common sign of lung cancer, but can also result from various lung cancer treatments.
“Like other signs and symptoms of lung cancer, hoarseness can have many causes.
“For example, lung cancer tumour cells can block passageways leading hoarseness along with other symptoms. It can also result from tumours pressing on the recurrent laryngeal nerve.”
But, just because you have a hoarse voice, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have lung cancer.
Your hoarseness could also be caused by a common cold, or an upper respiratory tract viral infection, it added.
Speak to a doctor if you have hoarseness for more than three weeks.
Meanwhile, other lung cancer symptoms include having a cough that won’t go away, having a hoarse throat, or feeling short of breath.
You should speak to a doctor if you’re worried about the signs or symptoms of lung cancer.
The outlook for lung cancer isn’t as good as other types of cancer, as the symptoms are usually only spotted in its later stages.
About one in three patients live for at least a year after their diagnosis, while one in 20 live for another 10 years.
Around 45,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in the UK every year.
Source: Read Full Article