What are the Most Common First Few Signs of Lung Cancer?

[CJ40689]

I am curious, just to kind of get reassured.  And where on the chest would the chest pain normally be for lung cancer?  Upper, inner, lower, or outer pectoral region?  

I just have chest pains and my doctor is not worrying because

1. i have no other symptoms of lung cancer except maybe trouble swallowing but that can be caused by anxiety too
2. non-smoker
3. 19 years old
4. no family history of lung cancer

[Fernando Roque, MD]

Hi.  Your doctor is right. You're too young to have lung cancer.  It takes years, even decades, for the initial mutated cells to develop into tumors which are detectable by x-ray or CT scan.  Early in the course of the disease, when the tumor is still small, the patient doesn't usually feel any symptoms at all. Only when the tumor has attained a significant size will symptoms such as chronic cough, weight loss, bloody sputum, and chest pain appear.  These symptoms by the way, are NOT specific for lung cancer and are typically present in lots of other non-cancerous lung diseases, such as pulmonary tuberculosis, or bronchiectasis.  

So try to occupy yourself with some other things.  You most probably don't have cancer at this time.