Ashima Sharda Mahindra • 31 Jul 2024
Lung Cancer: 5 Warning Signs You Can Spot On Face And Neck
Getting tested for cancer may feel scary, but an early diagnosis helps improve treatment outcomes and can prolong your life
Lung cancer is usually caused by uncontrolled cell division in your lungs, which divide and make more copies of themselves as a part of their normal function. These damaged cells divide uncontrollably creating masses, or tumours of tissue that eventually keep your organs from working properly. According to experts, there are many signs and symptoms of this cancer, which can help you prevent its further spread.
Knowing the warning signs of lung cancer is important so you can get tested early. Getting tested for cancer may feel scary, but an early diagnosis helps improve treatment outcomes and can prolong your life. A few early signs that you can spot of this cancer, which killed an estimated 1.8 million people across the world, include:
Swollen face
According to studies, if you spot a recurrent swelling on your face, it can be a symptom of lung cancer as it can be caused by a blockage in the superior vena cava (SVC). This blockage occurs when tumours near the SVC press on the vein or surrounding area, slowing or stopping blood flow.
Doctors say the swelling also affects the neck, arms, and upper chest, and the skin may appear bluish-red. Other symptoms of SVC syndrome include breathlessness, headaches, dizziness, and changes in consciousness.
Change in skin texture
Experts say even though it is not common, lung cancer can cause skin changes - including hyperpigmentation – a common condition that makes some areas of the skin darker than others. The spots are sometimes called age spots, sun spots, or liver spots. Doctors say you may notice flat brown, black, pink, or red spots or patches.
Facial pain
According to doctors, facial pain is a rare symptom of non-metastatic lung cancer, caused by a lot of factors, including vagus nerve compression where the tumour or mediastinal adenopathy compresses the nerve leading to pain that is usually unilateral and located on the right side of the face, around the ear.
Also, a few malignant tumour cells can produce humoral factors that lead to paraneoplastic syndrome - which can also cause facial pain.
Changes in facial structure
In sporadic cases, a few subtle changes like facial asymmetry or drooping can also indicate lung cancer – which leads to numbness in the face.
Changes in colour of lips
If you see the colour of your lips changing to blue or purple, there is an indication of a lack of oxygen in your blood - potentially due to lung cancer.
Other symptoms of lung cancer
Doctors say most lung cancer symptoms look like other, less serious illnesses. However, many people do not have symptoms until the disease is advanced. A few of the early-stage signs include:
- A cough that does not go away
- Breathlessness
- Chest pain and discomfort
- Wheezing
- Coughing up blood
- Hoarseness in voice
- Loss of appetite.
- Unexplained weight loss
- Pain in shoulders
- Small pupil and drooping eyelid in one eye with little or no sweating on that side of your face