Lung Cancer Symptoms
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Lung Cancer Symptoms

Lung Cancer Symptoms
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Updated on June 11, 2025
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Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer

Learn about the early warning signs and symptoms of lung cancer.
Understanding the Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer

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Lung cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the lungs’ tissue or in the bronchi (the lungs’ main airways), which causes typical lung cancer symptoms such as a persistent cough, breathlessness, and chest pain.

 If the cancer has advanced or spread to other parts of the body, it may cause other symptoms, too, like weight loss or bone pain.

Lung Cancer Symptoms

Most of the time, lung cancer doesn’t cause any symptoms until the cancer has advanced.

 But many of the symptoms described in this article can also be caused by conditions less serious than lung cancer, such as bronchitis or pneumonia.

Common lung cancer symptoms include:

  • Coughing, or coughing up blood or mucus
  • Chest pain
  • Hoarseness
  • Pain in chest, back or shoulders
  • Recurrent infection
  • Shortness of breath
  • Tiredness
  • Wheezing
  • Unexpected weight loss
illustrative graphic titled How Lung Cancer Affects the Body shows coughing, shortness of breath, hoarseness, pain in chest, back or shoulders, recurrent bronchitis or pneumonia, wheezing, coughing up mucus or blood. Everyday Health logo at bottom left
Any of these can be early signs or symptoms of lung cancer.Everyday Health
Not everyone’s lung cancer symptoms are the same.

 So, if you think you have any of the symptoms outlined in this article, the best thing you can do is see your doctor.

Types of Lung Cancer

There are two main types of lung cancer: small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) tends to start in the bronchi (main airways that lead from the trachea to the lungs) and then quickly spreads beyond the lungs, including the lymph nodes.

SCLC is the most aggressive form of lung cancer. Typical symptoms include:

  • A cough that gets worse or won’t go away
  • Bloody phlegm or mucus, or coughing up blood
  • Chest pain
  • Fatigue or weakness
  • Loss of appetite
  • Shortness of breath
  • Unintentional weight loss
  • Wheezing
Other symptoms that may accompany SCLC include:

  • Fever
  • Hoarse voice or other changes in the voice
  • Swelling in the face or neck

  • Trouble swallowing
Most of these symptoms tend to occur in the more advanced stages of lung cancer.

Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tends to grow more slowly than SCLC.

Overall, the symptoms of NSCLC are very similar to those of SCLC.

 But, in its early stages, NSCLC may cause no symptoms at all — something that’s true of all forms of lung cancer, but particularly of NSCLC, because this type advances more slowly.

NSCLC may also cause the following symptoms, especially in its later stages:

  • Curved nails and finger clubbing

  • Drooping eyelids
  • Hoarse voice or other changes in voice
  • Joint and bone pain or tenderness
  • Problems swallowing
  • Shoulder pain
  • Swelling of the face and neck

Potential Complications of Lung Cancer

Complications can arise from lung cancer either because the cancer has spread to affect other organs or as a result of certain syndromes (some of which occur even when the cancer itself hasn’t spread).


Metastatic Lung Cancer

When the cancer spreads to other organs, or metastasizes, it can cause the following symptoms:

  • Bone pain, including back pain or hip pain, if the cancer has spread to the bones
  • Dizziness, balance problems (vertigo), and stroke-like symptoms if the cancer has spread to the brain

  • Headaches
  • Swollen lymph nodes, based on where the cancer has spread
  • Weakness or numbness in one of your arms or legs
  • Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), if the cancer has spread to the liver

Horner Syndrome

When lung tumors compress certain nerves from the spine or chest, they can cause something called Horner syndrome, which affects one side of the face and the eye.

 This complication tends to happen more with NSCLC than SCLC, but it can occur with any type of lung cancer that affects the upper part of the lungs.

Symptoms of Horner syndrome affect one side of the face and include:

  • Drooping eyelid
  • A smaller pupil
  • Minimal or no sweating
  • Severe pain in the shoulder

Superior Vena Cava Syndrome

This complication occurs when lung cancer tumors press on the superior vena cava, a large blood vessel that runs from the head to the arms and down to the heart. This can cause:

  • A buildup of blood that can cause swelling in the face, neck, or arms
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Problems breathing
Superior vena cava syndrome can become life-threatening and require immediate medical attention.

 It is often associated with SCLC, and can often be the first sign of the disease.

Paraneoplastic Syndromes

Paraneoplastic syndromes are complications that occur when lung cancer causes problems in other tissues and organs, even though the cancer has not yet spread to distant areas.

In some cases, these syndromes cause the first noticeable symptoms of lung cancer. They also tend to occur more commonly with SCLC, although they can happen with any type of lung cancer.

It’s important to note that many of the symptoms associated with paraneoplastic syndromes can be caused by other conditions that are not cancer. Even if the syndromes themselves have developed within the body, this doesn’t mean they are necessarily caused by cancer, as there are many other conditions that may cause them.

There are several types of paraneoplastic syndromes, affecting different organs and body systems.

  • Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) occurs when cancer cells secrete a hormone that causes the kidneys to retain too much water in the body. Symptoms include excessive tiredness, loss of appetite, muscle weakness or cramps, nausea, vomiting, restlessness, confusion, and — in extreme cases — seizures and coma.
  • Cushing syndrome occurs when the cancer cells secrete a hormone that causes the adrenal glands to make too much cortisol, causing symptoms like weight gain, easy bruising, weakness, sleepiness, and fluid buildup (swelling).
  • Hypercalcemia occurs when blood calcium levels are too high. This occurs when the cancer cells make a hormone that causes the bones and kidneys to raise the blood levels of calcium. Symptoms include peeing very often, feeling constantly thirsty, constipation, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, weakness, fatigue, heart palpitations, dizziness, poor appetite and weight loss, and confusion. Hypercalcemia may also cause kidney stones.

  • Lambert-Eaton syndrome occurs when the cancer causes the immune system to wrongly attack a part of the nervous system involved in muscle control, causing symptoms like muscle weakness, balance issues, problems walking, speaking, and swallowing, and weakness in the muscles around the shoulder.
  • Paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration occurs when the cancer makes the immune system mistakenly attack the brain’s cerebellum. Symptoms include balance problems, poor movement control in the arms and legs, problems with speech, swallowing, and vision problems.
  • Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the limbic system (the part of your nervous system that regulates emotions and memory), causing memory loss, personality and mood changes, trouble sleeping, and seizures.

When to See a Doctor

If you have some of the symptoms highlighted in this article, speak to your doctor. Remember that not everyone’s lung cancer symptoms are the same, and many other conditions apart from lung cancer may be causing your symptoms.

That said, most cases of lung cancer are not symptomatic until they have advanced or developed complications, so it’s important to be aware of your risk factors, get screened for cancer if you are eligible, and act promptly if you have any symptoms.

The Takeaway

  • Lung cancer symptoms include chest pain, trouble breathing, and a cough that won’t go away or gets progressively worse. Other lung cancer symptoms can arise from complications or related syndromes.
  • If the cancer has spread to other organs, symptoms may include jaundice, dizziness, bone pain, or even symptoms that resemble a stroke.
  • Lung cancer symptoms usually develop when the tumor has advanced and spread, so early detection is key.
  • See a healthcare professional if you’re worried about potential lung cancer symptoms, and remember that many other less serious conditions may be the cause of your symptoms.

Resources We Trust

EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Lung Cancer. StatPearls. May 8, 2023.
  2. Siddiqui F et al. Signs and Symptoms of Lung Cancer. American Cancer Society. February 27, 2025.
  3. Symptoms of Lung Cancer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. October 15, 2024.
  4. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. MedlinePlus. March 31, 2023.
  5. Small Cell Lung Cancer vs. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: What's the Difference? National Foundation for Cancer Research. November 4, 2020.
  6. Lung Cancer - Small Cell. MedlinePlus. August 28, 2023.
  7. What Is the Difference Between Small Cell and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. October 3, 2022.
  8. Finger clubbing. Cancer Research UK. June 29, 2023.
  9. Horner Syndrome. Cleveland Clinic. November 4, 2022.
  10. Mayo Clinic Staff. Hypercalcemia. Mayo Clinic. March 8, 2024.
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Nimit Sudan, MD

Medical Reviewer
Castle Connolly Top Doctor

Nimit Sudan, MD, is a hematologist and medical oncologist with UCLA. He is an assistant clinical professor at UCLA and serves as a lead physician at the Encino community practice. He has a special interest in integrative medicine and oncology.

Dr. Sudan provides comprehensive care for adult patients with all types of hematologic and oncologic conditions. His mission is to treat every patient with the utmost compassion and care, and to develop a strong doctor-patient relationship. He is passionate about patient and family education, and educating larger communities on cancer awareness and prevention. He also has a special interest in integrative medicine, and is certified in acupuncture.

Sudan is from the Midwest, and received both his medical degree and bachelor's degree from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. He completed his internal medicine residency at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and his hematology/oncology fellowship at Western Pennsylvania Hospital in Pittsburgh.

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Ana Sandoiu

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Ana is a freelance medical copywriter, editor, and health journalist with a decade of experience in content creation. She loves to dive deep into the research and emerge with engaging and informative content everyone can understand. Her strength is combining scientific rigor with empathy and sensitivity, using conscious, people-first language without compromising accuracy.

Previously, she worked as a news editor for Medical News Today and Healthline Media. Her work as a health journalist has reached millions of readers, and her in-depth reporting has been cited in multiple peer-reviewed journals. As a medical copywriter, Ana has worked with award-winning digital agencies to implement marketing strategies for high-profile stakeholders. She’s passionate about health equity journalism, having conceived, written, and edited features that expose health disparities related to race, gender, and other social determinants of health.

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