Doctors have named two unusual symptoms on the hands that may indicate lung cancer.
They are early signs of the most deadly cancer.
Experts hope these symptoms will help detect lung cancer at an early stage.
Early stage
It is noted that at the early stage of development, this type of oncology rarely manifests itself through characteristic signs.
Often, lung cancer can only be diagnosed at stages of significant progression of the disease, which, in fact, is the reason for the high mortality rate.
Doctors say that the prognosis for this disease is not as good as for many other types of oncology.
However, they note two signs on the hands that may indicate an early stage of the disease.
Thickening of the fingers
The first sign is thickening of the fingers. Typically seen on the fingertips (may also appear on the feet).
At first, the base of the nail may soften and the skin around it may turn red. Then the nail may bend.
It, like the skin around it, can appear shiny, with grooves along the nail.
And the fingertips may appear enlarged, as if they were “thickened.”
Doctors say that this thickening develops over several years, but sometimes faster.
The supposed cause of the phenomenon is believed to be large cells called megakaryocytes that become stuck in the small blood vessels at the fingertips.
Swelling
The second sign is swelling of the fingers and wrists, often accompanied by joint pain.
Doctors call this condition hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy.
Doctors note that the condition is characterized by inflammation of the bones and joints in the wrists and ankles, as well as thickening of the fingers.
They also warn: although, apart from the above-mentioned signs, nothing else usually indicates lung cancer in the early stages, over time, many people suffering from this oncological disease develop more typical symptoms.
These may include persistent coughing, including coughing up blood, shortness of breath, the appearance of fatigue without any apparent reason, and weight loss.
In addition, such symptoms include pain when breathing or coughing.
