What event prompted your Lung Cancer diagnosis?

Hi Kegsy 

my dad was diagnosed with stage 3b NSCLC in November. We had spoken with the GP about 7 weeks prior. My dad had been complaining of a pain in his chest with increased sputum but no cough. He had a course of antibiotics which did not improve his symptoms. My dad was also feeling quite tired in himself. He was sent for a chest X-ray on the back of his and that’s when the cancer was found. My dad has smoked for the last 40+ years. When we started going through the diagnostic tests, the Macmillian specialist LC nurses advised me that Barnsley (where we live) was being used as a trial for early detection of LC based on age, smoking status, genetics in family etc but this is not something I’d seen advertised widely in my area. I spend a lot of time in the local community, GPs, hospital etc for my work and no local advertising of this. It does seem that the standard cough for so many week as you say it’s not necessarily a clear determining factor to getting checked out for LC. 

In July 2020 I went to the doctor with a lump on my neck. I thought I had a cyst. Little did I know it was the start of my journey with stage 4 NSCLC. No cough. 

Hollsmolls

Hi , my lung cancer was discovered because I had a cough which started in November , I went to GP and was given antibiotics , 4 differnt times I was given antibiotics , I did have a chest x ray but was told ( by receptionist  , not doctor) it was clear I was even tested for TB , I kept telling doctor " I have this cough for a reason " but I was poo pooed , in February, I was referred to respiratory clinic who put me on tablets for my stomach as acid reflux could cause cough then in April I was at hospital for my yearly mammogram having had breast cancer in 2013 , the consultant heard the cough and asked if it had been attended to I said yes and told her all of what I'd had , she sent me for a CT scan and that is how my lung cancer was discovered , nobody listened to me when I kept telling them I had cough for a reason , the cancer wasn't causing the cough but yet I had this terrible cough which lasted 16 months altogether ,  if I didn't have the cough I wouldn't have got the CT & PET scans and my small cancer would have grown albeit slowly but still growing maybe until it was too late . I just wish doctors would listen to their patients after all we know our own bodies better than they do and if we feel something isn't right then they should investigate things sooner not just hand out prescriptions , I finally had operation to remove it plus a bit of my lung but alas a cell must have escaped and it was discovered it had started to grow ( 3 yrs after op ) so had 4 weeks radiotherapy but oncologist said it's shrunk but will never go away so now hoping it stays dormant , what they'll do should it start to grow I don't know .

Anyway that's my story of how my lung cancer was discovered  x 

Hi Kegsy,

No cough here, no symptoms that said anything was wrong with my lungs at all. In fact I had a pretty busy time of it and fitted in some fairly heavy weight training around caring for my recently widowed Mum, shuttling back and forth between my flat and her house.

What sent me to the doctor was not being able to do handwriting any more - I needed to sign something and couldn't do it. That was the brain tumour, spread from the lung cancer. The GP diagnosed me pretty much on the spot and didn't even allow me to go home - I got sent straight to hospital.

kind regards
Steve

No symptons for me either. 
My lung was picked up on my one year scan checking for my bowel cancer. 
It was a separate cancer meaning I have had two primaries 

A friend of mine visited his GP on a few occasions 18 month's ago with a persistent non-productive cough, no other symptoms.  He was sent for a chest X-ray which was clear so put on a course of medication.  The cough carried on and another X-ray showed nothing.  Six months after this while at a restaurant with friends he had a sharp pain on the right side of his abdomen and became nauseous resulting in vomiting.  That evening the pain became unbearable and he went to A&E, a CT scan revealed an abnormally large kidney.  A subsequent PET-CT scan showed the kidney was cancerous.  He had surgery to remove the kidney, which was found to be advanced cancer and is now on immunotherapy.  Immediately after surgery his cough disappeared.

Before I was diagnosed with lung cancer back in September 2023, I didn't have a cough, I had just felt rundown for about six months prior to diagnosis, everything tired me out and I just had a "can't be bothered" attitude to daily activities such as housework etc., no weight loss, and appetite fine.  I eventually went to the GP after a bout of Covid in May left me with a bit of a croaky voice and congestion in my head.  I was sent for a chest X-ray by a lovely diligent Locum GP, which discovered an abnormality, hence a CT scan showed a 2.5cm lesion in the top part of my left lung.

So, as  you say, a cough is not the be all and end all of symptoms for lung cancer, but in my friend's case a cough can also mean something else.

Hi Kegsy

I had no symptoms, no cough or breathlessness at all. I went to the GP with joint pain that would come and go. Pain became more severe and affected my hands, shoulders, knees and ankles. After much going backwards and forwards to the GP I was given a blood test for rheumatoid factor which was positive so was referred to see a rheumatologist. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and as part of initial assessment I had xrays of my hands feet and chest and when the chest xray was reported it was found then, a 2.5 cm tumour right upper lobe. I also have asthma and about a year or two ago I was getting a hoarse voice and felt I wanted to clear my throat all the time. I was told via a telephone appt for asthma review that it was probably caused by the inhalers and was given a spacer to use. It didn't go away but it improved but in hindsight maybe that was a symptom of the cancer.  Also the rheumatologist said in some cases of cancer joint pain could be a symptom, not in my case though. So that's how I found my cancer and first and only symptom, maybe, was hoarseness.

Hi Kegsy,

My event was very similar to Bella27.

No symptoms at all ... no cough, chest pain, or breathlessness. But I did have recurring joint pain, particularly in lower back. Blood tests showed inflammation in my blood and I was referred to rheumatologist to check for Rheumatoid arthritis. He said I didn't have RA but there was definitely something causing the blood results. Suggested I go for abdominal scan (all clear) and chest X-ray.,,,,  Found 3.5cm tumour in upper right lobe. Since had lobectomy and chemo and now on three-monthly scans. Back pain went once the tumour was out!

My first symptom was easy to spot, I coughed up blood. Apart from that no other symptoms and felt fine. Sent for a chest x-ray which came back negative so I was immediately very relieved. However GP then referred me for a CT which revealed a suspect area in right lung - was lucky that I was able to have surgery (right lung removed) then adjuvant chemo as a precaution. It will be 10 years ago in June, 

No symptoms I could pin down.  Maybe in hindsight a cough that took a couple of weeks to clear up.  Discovered completely by accident on a CAT CT that was done as part of tests done after removal of a suspect bowel polyp. 17mm spiculated lesion in right upper lung.

I feel very lucky!