cancer??

[joseppi]

hello.  I am 29 years old and have a about a 3 pack year history (about 7 cigarettes per day for the past 8 years).  I am trying to quit smoking but it has been very difficult.  Today is my new "quit day" so I am giving it another shot.  My problem is i have a persistent chest pain only on my right side.  The sypmtoms worsen when I smoke.  The pain is not always there, I have days with no pain and then other days with chest pain. The pain is dull and nagging and is not extreme.  My other symptom is i cough up little brown spots on a daily basis.  There is never any blood in it though.  My doctor attributes the problems to acid reflux and has diagnosed me with acid reflux and i had an endoscopy done which further suggested i have an acid reflux problem, but the acid reflux medication is not effective.  I stress out all the time about the possibility of lung cancer.  I have had the chest pain and brown spots in my sputum for about 2 years.  I had a chest x-ray 2 years ago which showed no problems and I had a ct scan one year ago which showed no problems.  I have no other symptoms and have no problems with wheezing and I am able to exercise (basketball, running, etc.) without any problems.  Could this be lung cancer.  Is that likely.  What should i do to rule out lung cancer

[National Jewish]

Concerning your chest pain – it is concerning that it is persistent.  Given your young age, the most common cause might be the muscles in your chest wall.  Heart problems can give rise to chest pain, but not persistently.  The thin membrane that covers the lung, called the pleura, can give rise to pain, but usually not persistent.  You should see your doctor who might decide to order a chest x-ray and other tests.  You should be prepared to answer questions like these:  what makes the pain worse, what makes it better, is there a position which alters the pain or a movement of your chest or arm, describe the nature of the pain – pressing, dull, burning, sharp, etc, does it awaken you, is it associated with sweating, nausea or skipped or irregular heart beats, does the pain go anywhere else, point to the area where you feel the pain – is it a large or small area, does it get worse when you cough, how long does the pain last, does the pain get better or worse with eating?

Concerning your cough – if the cough is productive of phlegm from your chest – does your doctor think that it is from your reflux?  Usually a chest-x-ray and a simple breathing test called spirometry would be performed.  Examination of your sputum might be helpful as well.  It sounds like your doctor has evaluated this thoroughly with the chest x-ray and CT scan, which along with exam of the sputum would be the best way we have to exclude lung cancer.  However, if your symptoms persist, your doctor might want to repeat those tests now.

[Brigham]

Hi Im a 28 year old male, smoking 1 pack per day for about 10 years.  I to have been waking with lung pain mostly on my right side when I wake up in the morning. I to am freaked out about lung cancer, but everything I have read on the net tells me that it is very rare for someone under the age of 40 to get lung cancer.  I had this sort of pain about a year ago, also with heart pain to.  I had a chest Xray everything was normal.  Now it seems worse and its been about three weeks and its not gone.  Im quitting today..lol.. Trying anyway!!!  I asked my GP if people my age get lung cancer and he saqid NO!!!  Unless you have been exposed to asbestos.