Lung Cancer Symptoms: Changes In Your Hands You Should Watch Out For

Like other cancers, lung cancer is fast becoming a problem in different parts of the world. In the UK alone, there are about 47,000 individuals who get diagnosed with lung cancer each year. Common symptoms that send people to the ER or to their general practitioner include persistent cough, persistent breathlessness, weight loss, trouble breathing, and coughing up blood.

While these symptoms are considered as the obvious ones, there are other symptoms that often go unnoticed. These are the ones that occur in your hands. There are three things that you should watch out for in your hands, which could mean that you may be suffering from lung cancer.

Finger Clubbing

According to Cancer Research UK, finger clubbing means that there are certain changes that occur in your fingernails and or fingers. This condition is also referred to as Hippocratic fingers.

Usually, those who have problems in their lungs or heart suffer from this condition. There are approximately 3 out of 10 people suffering from non-small cell lung cancer who experience this condition. On the other hand, in those who suffer from small cell lung cancer, only 4 out of 100 experience this.

Scarmouth’s Sign

You may also see your nails curving more than the usual. Try looking at it from the side, and if it curves abnormally, then you are exhibiting one of the things that were often linked to lung cancer.

Drumstick Fingers

At some point in time, the ends of the nails could also get larger in appearance. When you notice this, it could also mean the same thing.

There are certain individuals who are more prone to suffer from lung cancer. This would include older people. Take, for instance, in the UK, lung cancer is more common in individuals aged 75 or older. It is quite rare for those younger than 40 to suffer from the same disease.

One thing, though, not smoking is an assurance that you won’t develop the disease. There are still non-smokers who develop this nasty illness. However, 72% of the cases of lung cancer were caused by smoking. This goes to show that smoking increases one’s risk of developing it later in life.