Doctor warns of hand symptoms that can show advanced lung cancer

A doctor in Brookly warns that a modest transformation in fingernails could indicate lung cancer.

Dr. Davood Johari, a specialist for lung and intensive care at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, told The The The The The The The the New York Post that 5 to 15 percent of lung cancer patients develop nail clubbing, which typically occurs in later stages of the disease, often too late for effective interventions.

“Fingelers appear wider and rounder as normal, with the nails turned down and resemble a wrong spoon,” said Johari as August 1, the worldwide-state cancer day.

“The nail bed, the area under the nail, feels spongy and softer,” he added. “The fingertip can be red or feel warmer than usual.”

The exact cause of nail clubbing and the connection to lung cancer is not fully known, but can result from hormone -like substances that are generated by tumors that expand the blood vessels in the fingers, increase blood flow and cause the fluid accumulation under the nails.

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Lung cancer is still the most common deaths for cancer worldwide. Around 226,650 new US diagnoses are expected this year, which leads to almost 125,000 deaths.

Johari urges everyone who notices the persistent changes in the nail color, the shape or thickness of more than two weeks, even without other symptoms to seek medical help.

People with other lung cancer symptoms, including a persistent cough, language changes, inexplicable weight loss or fatigue, persistent shoulder pain that worsen at night, visual problems or absorbing eyelids should also consult a doctor, he said.

Lung cancer reviews usually begin with a review, physical examination and imaging of the anamnesis, whereby a biopsy is required for a final diagnosis.

Nail clubbing can also indicate other serious diseases such as chronic lung infections, heart defects, gastrointestinal diseases and autoimmune diseases. Johari said that other nail changes such as dark stripes, persistent bruises, nail lifts or bleeding should also signal different forms of cancer and not be ignored.

“Many change of nail are harmless and can be related to aging, injuries and trauma or everyday activities such as the use of nail polish,” Johari told the outlet. “However, all changes to the nail color, the nail shape or the thickness, which last for more than a few weeks, should be checked by a doctor.”

While smoking is the best -known cause of lung cancer, several other risk factors can also lead to illness. One main cause is the radon exposure, a naturally occurring, odorless, colorless and tasteless gas, which is the second most common cause of lung cancer in the United States, especially in non -smokers, according to the extensive Cancer Center at Ohio State University.

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High, uncertain radon values are often available in rock, floor and groundwater. Test houses on the radon and understanding the local regulations are the key to reducing exposure, and luckily high radon values can often be reduced by effective reduction.

Age is another factor in which two thirds of lung cancer cases have been diagnosed in people over 65 years and most of them occur in the more than 45 years per source. A family or personal history of lung cancer also increases the risk. Additional environmental and professional exposure such as arsenic, asbestos, cadmium, chrome, uranium and certain petroleum products can contribute to the development of lung cancer.

Air pollution, previous radiation therapy on the chest or chest and a prehistory of lung diseases such as tuberculosis further increase the risk.