Named diseases that can be confused with lung cancer

Cunning disguiser: how lung cancer hides under the guise of common diseases

"Lung cancer has an amazing ability to 'disguise' itself as other common diseases, including smoker's bronchitis, COPD, bronchiectasis, and even ischemic heart disease," Igor Tyurin, a leading specialist in radiation and instrumental diagnostics, told "Gazeta.Ru".

"Most often, smokers get cancer, and they frequently suffer from chronic cough, shortness of breath, transient chest pains, sputum discharge, and sometimes even hemoptysis. All these symptoms do not directly indicate cancer, but are observed in smoker's bronchitis, COPD, bronchiectasis of various origins, ischemic heart disease, and many others," the doctor explained.

In addition, lung cancer, like many other oncological diseases, for a long time is not accompanied by manifestations that would allow it to be suspected.

"The lung doesn't hurt, it has no nerve endings that could signal to the patient that something is wrong. Pain begins only when the tumor affects structures adjacent to the lung, the chest wall, diaphragm, or causes narrowing of the bronchus. Then the person develops a complication. For example, pneumonia or other manifestations that prompt a person to seek medical help," the doctor concluded.