What event prompted your Lung Cancer diagnosis?

A year ago today my husband attended out of hours GP as he had pain on his left side/ ribs ( he had banged them at work ) GP sent him to A&E x ray showed a tumour in the lower lobe of his right lung, so nothing to do with the pain on the left, after ct, pet scan, mri and biopsy he was diagnosed with stage 3a adenocarcinoma, completed chemo and immunotherapy followed by a lobectomy in September 23, he had no symptoms at all and his cancer was found totally by accident, his dad passed away in November 22 from lung cancer after a short battle he was diagnosed at stage 4c and his only symptoms were a intermittent cough and eventually pain and swelling to his neck ( lymph nodes ) 

my diagnosis came completly out of the blue ,they were sending scanning machines around the mining areas for ex miners to have their lungs checked and anyone else in the area who was a smoker or ex smoker ,so a nurse presuaded me ,being a smoker to have my lungs checked ,which i did ,they found a small nodule on my lung of 9mm and sent me to sheffield to have a more intense full body scan ,and decided to do the watch and wait ,it was over 10 months before the nodule grew to 19mm and that was after 2 other scans which had shown no growth ,this one did and started the ball rolling ,and i had a lobectomy in 2022 ,but in the time leading up to this i had no symptoms at all ,no shortness of breath ,no cough,no fatigue absolutly nothing .I have now had over a year of 3 monthly scans all come back clear and i have a full body scan in July this year ,hoping that also comes baack clear then i can be dismissed from my surgeons book .not all people have symptoms ,i certainly did not and if i had not gone for that scan when i did ,then it might now of been too late

Hi my wife had anti biotic for suspected chest infection had  2 different treatment s didn't work so chest x Ray showed a shadow this was November last then all the usual scans and biopsy she had a 7.8cm tumour with limph nodes in chest and Thyroid.This soon spread to Bones (her left femur crumbled at ball joint so operation for partial hip replacement). Then came home and in 5 days had a bowel blockage back to hospital thankfully sorted without op but new ct scan showed cancer spread to Kidneys the first treatment of chemo/imuno didn't work well she had a reaction to one of the drugs so came home again while they decided what to do 6 days later she had a massive hemorage at 2.15 last Thursday and despite my best efforts at C P R and thoses of Ambulance crew she sadley passed away. So basically from supposed chest infection to an absolutely horrible death in 4 months so please insist on tests straight away as she had no symptoms before that even with such a large tumour. Incerdently. I had bowel Cancer myself in July 2022 after radiotherapy and Chemotherapy then Surgery was declared all clear sent for routine bowel scan 2weeks ago a!so showed all clear in Bowel but a module in right lung had a PET scan last week have a 1.5 cm tumour  and am now awaiting surgery on that but also no other  symptoms .David.

I was living a healthy life. Thought I was a healthy specimen for a 68 year old. Out of the blue I coughed up a tiny amount of blood. It was a weekend and rang 111 as a precaution.  I was seen in out of hours that evening.  I remember I kept saying ‘I feel fine’ and wasn’t worried. Referred back to Dr and put on 2 week pathway and within 2 weeks I was diagnosed with lung cancer. 

I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in December 2019.  In early January I was admitted to hospital with critically low sodium levels and an x-ray done then showed a mass on my lower left lung.

As the NHL presented an immediate threat, nothing was done regarding the lung mass until after I had finished chemotherapy.  The same PET scan which showed my lymphoma was in remission showed that my lung mass was still there so I was referred to the lung clinic and two weeks later lung cancer was confirmed.

Like many others, I never had symptoms.  But for my lymphoma, my lung cancer would not have been discovered while it was early stage and low grade.  In a roundabout way, my lymphoma saved my life.

Hello. I did not have a cough. in November 22 I had what I thought was the flu which seemed  to go on for a while. After a month of having no energy/appetite I called the doctor who also said it was a likely viral infection. Nevertheless they took blood tests and prescribed Antibiotics. I felt better immediately. Then, as i was a smoker they sent me for an Xray. They wanted this repeated after 6 months. So now we are in March 23. From the X ray I had a CT scan, then a PET scan. I still didn't have a cough! From there, diagnosis, surgery to remove part of the lung followed by chemotherapy and most recently radiotherapy. I am gratel for the speedy pathway in the NHS when they suspect cancer. 

I had a very similar experience following my first mammogram in 2010. A lump, a biopsy, surgery, radiotherapy, and then tamoxifen for several years until being discharged.  I feel quite lucky in the circumstances. I did give up smoking by the way,

Sarah

About a year before my mum’s diagnosis she started complaining of difficulty swallowing. It was mentioned to the GP and various tests were carried out but no cause found. She then caught covid but her energy levels never returned back to normal. GP thought she might be suffering with long Covid & sent her for a chest x-Ray & the rest as they say is history. I’m convinced that her difficulty swallowing was linked to the cancer. So …. difficulty swallowing & general tiredness were her only symptoms. x

Glad to hear they found yours early ,I also am having part of my right lung removed in the next 3-4 weeks then Chemo ,Must admit I’m feeling anxious about it all but thankful they found mine early stage 2B 

Hi Everyone

Thank you all for your responses. 

The summary of 19 responses (including my own) is;

• 15  No Persistent Cough;   79%
• 2 Persistent Cough;  10.5%
• 2 Coughing Up Blood; 10.5%

Of the No Persistent Cough group;

• 2  went to the GP with neurological symptoms.  Both quickly referred for x-rays and/or CT scans.  13%
• 12 had CT scan and/or X-Ray for non-lung cancer suspected reasons, so lung cancer discovered by 'accident'.  81%
• 1 had CT Scan as part of local Lung Cancer screening programme. 6%

Of the Persistent Cough group;

• 1 given a number of courses of antibiotics before being mis-diagnosis,  prior to eventually being sent for x-rays and/or CT scans.  50%
• 1 given two courses of antibiotics, prior to being sent for x-rays and/or CT scans.  50%

Of the Coughing Up Blood group;

• Following contact with GP/medical staff, both quickly referred for x-rays and/or CT scans. 100%

So in a nutshell, if you are 'lucky' to experience neurological symptoms, cough up blood or have access to a Lung Cancer screening programme, you are more likely to receive an early diagnosis.  The same seems to apply if you have a CT Scan and/or X-Ray for a non-related health issue.

If you have a Persistent Cough the time to diagnosis appears to take longer. with the possibility of Lung Cancer being low on the GPs diagnostic priorities.

Any thoughts before I escalate this to the Dept for Health?

Kegsy x

Too true I hadn't originally responded as I had no diagnosis which I now do know I have lung cancer.

I went to gp for chest pain put on antibiotics for pneumonia. Asked to be seen again 2 weeks later refused an appointment. A month later finally listened and sent me for an xray almost to shut me up. That was in Feb and was diagnosed last week.

I have been continually told you don't look there can't be anything seriously wrong. I'm too young for it to be cancer. 

I feel let down by the gp massively I never go to the gp and for mevto plead them saying I know there is something wrong it should have been listened to.