9 Symptoms You Should Never Ignore During NSCLC Treatment

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatments like surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy help shrink the tumor and put you into remission. Once you're in remission, your symptoms should lessen or stop. Sometimes, NSCLC treatments don't work, or they work for a while and then stop. Doctors call this drug resistance. Watch for these signs that your cancer isn't responding to treatment. Tell your doctor about them. Together, you can plan next steps.

A cough is a common NSCLC symptom, but it doesn't always mean your cancer hasn't responded to treatment. Infections like a cold or the flu also cause a cough. Coughs from an infection should clear up in a week or two. With lung cancer, the cough won't go away. It may get worse. Coughing may be a sign that the tumor has pressed on your lung or blocked your airway. Call your doctor right away if you cough up blood or rust-colored phlegm. This can be a sign of bleeding in your lung.

Pain in your chest could mean that the cancer has spread from your lung to the chest wall. Sometimes, it hurts because fluid and cancer cells have collected in the space between your lung and chest wall. That's called pleural effusion. Or the tumor could be pressing on nerves in your chest. When lung cancer spreads to the ribs, it causes pain along the side of the body or around the breastbone. NSCLC pain feels dull or sharp. It may get worse when you breathe deeply, cough, laugh, or exercise.

Trouble breathing is an early symptom of lung cancer. It can also be a sign that your cancer has come back or grown. And it can be a side effect of treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Shortness of breath feels different to each person. You might feel like you can't get enough air into your lungs, or you may have tightness in your chest. These can be signs that the tumor has blocked your airway or damaged your lung. Your doctor can do a chest X-ray or computed tomography (CT) scan to learn what is causing your shortness of breath.

NSCLC and its treatments increase your risk of lung infections like pneumonia and bronchitis. As the tumor grows, it can block your airway. Bacteria get trapped behind the blockage and multiply. Cancer weakens your immune system, making it harder to fight off these germs. Lung cancer treatments like chemotherapy and immunotherapy may also weaken your immune system. Infections and lung cancer both cause symptoms like a cough and shortness of breath, so they can be hard to tell apart. Some lung infections are mild. Others are very serious. Your doctor can diagnose and treat the problem.

When NSCLC spreads to other parts of the body, it's called metastatic lung cancer. Bones are one of the most common places for lung cancer to spread, especially the spine, ribs, pelvis, and arm bones. Cancer in the bones feels like a dull ache or sharp pain. A fracture could be the first sign that cancer is in your bones. Cancer cells weaken bones and make them more likely to break. If a tumor presses on nerves near the bones, you may have numbness or weakness in that area. Bisphosphonates, radiation therapy, and other treatments can protect your bones from fractures and relieve pain.

Most people with NSCLC lose their appetite at some point. Appetite loss is a side effect of treatment and a sign that your cancer has progressed. It's important to eat well during cancer treatment. Good nutrition helps maintain your weight and give you energy. When you eat very little, your body doesn't get enough of the nutrients and calories it needs, and your muscles become weak. If your doctor doesn't ask about your appetite, bring it up at your next visit. A dietitian can help you add more nutrient- and calorie-dense foods to your diet.

This symptom means NSCLC may have spread to your brain. Brain metastases affect about 1 out of 5 people with lung cancer. The risk is higher if you have an EGFR or ALK gene mutation. A headache is the most common symptom, and it can be severe. Other possible signs are seizures, confusion, weakness in an arm or leg, memory loss, and mood changes. Doctors diagnose brain metastases with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There are many treatment options for lung cancer that has spread to the brain, including radiation therapy and targeted medicines.

Cancer in the lymph nodes of the neck or collarbone can make your neck swell up. Swelling can also be a symptom of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome. The SVC is a large vein that carries blood from your head, down through your neck and chest to your heart. When a tumor in your lung or chest presses on the SVC, blood backs up in the vein and makes it swell. Your face, arms, and upper chest can also swell up. Skin over the swollen area may turn blue-red. Superior vena cava syndrome is serious, and it needs quick treatment.

A yellow color to your skin and the whites of your eyes is jaundice. This symptom could mean the cancer is in your liver. NSCLC rarely spreads to the liver, but it can happen. Belly pain or swelling, tiredness, and nausea are other symptoms of liver metastasis. Your doctor uses imaging scans like computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET) to find lung metastases. Targeted therapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and surgery are treatments for lung cancer that has spread to the liver.