Understanding Lung Cancer Stages and Symptoms
Summary
Lung cancer can progress from a small, localized tumor to advanced disease that spreads to the lymph nodes and other organs such as the liver, bones, and brain. Persistent cough, breathing difficulty, coughing up blood, weight loss, and chest pain are among the warning signs.
Key Points
- Lung cancer is staged from one to four using tumor size, lymph node involvement, and spread to other organs.
- Early-stage lung cancer may have no clear symptoms, but later stages can cause cough, breathlessness, chest pain, and weight loss.
- Advanced lung cancer can spread to the liver, bones, and brain, known as metastatic disease.
- PET-CT and brain MRI are mentioned as tests used for further evaluation.
