Adenocarcinoma of the lung history and symptoms

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Shanshan Cen, M.D. [2] Sudarshana Datta, MD [3]

The common symptoms of adenocarcinoma of the lung include dyspnea, hemoptysis, chronic coughing, chest pain, cachexia, dysphonia, and symptoms arising from paraneoplastic syndromes such as weakness, lack of coordination, changes in mental function, high blood pressure, nausea and vomiting.

• A positive history of smoking, family history of lung cancer, radiation therapy to the chest, expsure to radon gas and asbestos is suggestive of adenocarcinoma of the lung.
• The most common symptoms of adenocarcinoma of the lung include dyspnea, hemoptysis, chronic coughing, wheezing, chest pain, abdominal pain, cachexia, fatigue and loss of appetite.^[1]

Patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung may have a positive history of:

• Smoking
• Exposure to second-hand smoke
• Family history of lung cancer
• Exposure to high levels of air pollution
• Radiation therapy to the chest
• Expsure to radon gas
• Exposure to asbestos
• Exposure to high levels of arsenic in drinking water
• Occupational exposure to chemical carcinogens
• Previous lung disease
• Indoor burning of coal
• SLE

Common symptoms of adenocarcinoma of the lung include:^[2]

• Chronic coughing
• Dyspnea
• Hemoptysis
• Wheezing
• Chest pain
• Abdominal pain
• Cachexia
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Dysphonia

Less common and late symptoms of adenocarcinoma of the lung include:^[1]

• Bone pain
• Dysphagia
• Superior vena cava syndrome
• Neurological changes:

• Weakness
• Numbness in extremities
• Dizziness
• Seizure

• Lymphadenopathy
• Symptoms due to paraneoplastic syndromes:^[1]
  • Cancer cells release substances that affect the functioning of various organs, giving rise to a group of symptoms called paraneoplastic syndromes.
  • Small cell lung cancer is more frequently associated with paraneoplastic syndromes, as compared to non–small cell lung cancer.
  • Paraneoplastic syndromes presenting with adenocarcinoma of the lung include:^[3][4]
    • Hypercalcemia (more commonly seen in squamous cell lung cancer)
    • Weakness
    • Lack of coordination
    • Changes in mental function
    • High blood pressure
    • Nausea
    • Vomiting
    • Hypertrophic osteoarthropathy:
      • Increased and sometimes painful growth of some bones, especially in the fingertips
      • Finger clubbing
      • Pain and swelling of bones and joints

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