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. You could be at risk of the disease if your lymph nodes become increasingly swollen, it’s been revealed.
Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers to be diagnosed in the UK, warned the NHS.
Around 45,000 people are diagnosed with lung cancer in the UK every year.
Signs of the disease only tend to reveal themselves once the cancer has spread through the lungs.
One of the key symptoms of lung cancer is having larger than normal lymph nodes.
Your lymph nodes are small glands that are located at various points throughout the body, including either side of the neck, above the collarbone, and under the jaw.
It’s their job to store white blood cells, which protect the body against infections or tumours.
If you have a tumour, for example, the lymph nodes accumulate diseased cells, which causes them to become swollen.
If your glands feel larger than normal on your neck, it could, therefore, be a sign of lung cancer.
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“When lung cancer is found and treated early, the chances of successful treatment are better,” said the Canadian Cancer Society.
“Signs and symptoms often appear as the tumour grows and causes changes in the body such as a cough or shortness of breath.
“Signs and symptoms are the same for small cell lung cancer and non–small cell lung cancer.
“They include: a cough that gets worse or doesn’t go away, wheezing, fatigue, weight loss, [and] larger than normal lymph nodes in the neck or above the collarbone.”
But, just because you have swollen glands, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have lung cancer.
They can feel larger in response to any type of illness or infection.
Some people may find that their glands become swollen if they have a cold, the flu, or even an ear infection.
Swollen lymph nodes are more likely to be caused by lung cancer if they’re accompanied by any of the more common warning signs of the disease.
A cough is the most common symptom of lung cancer, but it could also cause shortness of breath, chest pain, and subtle voice changes.
The outlook for lung cancer isn’t as good as other types of cancer, because 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.
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