As stated above, primary lung cancer symptoms may include cough, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, pulmonary or respiratory issues, swollen lymph nodes, chest pain unrelated to exposure, difficulty consuming tobacco, or similar issues to be described below. 

A new cough that occurs in a person who smokes or in a person who has a history of smoking is a concern that should be investigated to rule in our out the possibility of lung cancer. Similarly, a cough that either refuses to go away or seems to increase in frequency and intensity over a prolonged period of time might be cause for concern, and it is important to evaluate such a cough through a trained health care provider. Taking preemptive action is necessary to prevent death, surgery, or heightened levels of medical risks and treatment.

Another significant sign of lung cancer is hemoptysis, which is when a person coughs up blood. A large number of people who go on to have lung cancer may begin by coughing up blood, which is something that can affect people even if they were only exposed to secondhand smoke in the past. There is no amount of coughed up blood that is not medically significant and cause for concern.

Another symptom that approximately one fourth of people who are diagnosed with lung cancer develop is chest pain. This is contrasted with typical chest pain in that it is chronic and persistent and also dull and aching. It simply does not go away, and as a result, it is contrasted with pain from radon exposure or that from treatment with pyridoxine hydrochloride.

Shortness of breath is also likely to occur in people who are diagnosed with lung cancer. This typically results from when the flow of air to or from part of the lung is blocked due to a foreign presence within the lung. This can be identified through early screening in some patients, but in others it may not be obvious until the cancer reaches a more advanced stage. Similar lung concerns that should be investigated include a pleural effusion, which is a collection of fluid around the lung sac, in addition to the spreading of tumors throughout the lungs.