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Lung cancer

What is lung cancer?

Lung cancer is a cancer that appears in the lung. It is one of the most common cancers in Scotland.

What are the symptoms?

While having one or more of these doesn’t mean you have lung cancer, a quicker diagnosis can mean less worry. If cancer is confirmed, more treatment options are available if it’s found early.

Contact your GP practice as soon as possible, if you have any of the following symptoms, especially if they last 3 or more weeks and you are or have been a smoker:

  • Coughing up blood.
  • New cough or a change in a cough.
  • New breathlessness or change in breathlessness.
  • Chest or shoulder pain.
  • Recently losing weight without trying.
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Feeling more tired and lacking in energy than normal.
  • New hoarseness – your voice is never normal.
  • A chest infection that doesn’t get better or keeps coming back.
Philip Hodkinson

Philip Hodkinson, Respiratory Consultant, NHS Ayrshire & Arran

We’ve made huge strides in treating lung cancer in recent years and early diagnosis is key. The sooner we find it, the more options we have to help people live well and for longer. If you’re worried about yourself, or someone close to you, don’t wait. We’re here to support you every step of the way – lung cancer isn’t what it used to be.

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What's involved in getting checked?

Some people put off contacting their GP practice because they think they’ll be wasting their time but they want to hear from you if you’re worried about any possible symptoms.

Here’s what to expect when you contact your GP practice:

  • Your primary care clinician will listen to your concerns about your health and ask some questions about your symptoms.
  • They may want to examine your chest.
  • They’ll decide if you need to have a chest X-ray or other tests and will arrange these for you. If you need more investigations, your GP practice may arrange for you to see a chest specialist in a hospital.

Real stories

Leo Scullion

I was aware I was coughing, but it became noticeable to those around me. I put it down to the smog in China at that time, and the fact I was a smoker. I did have other symptoms which I now know were warning signs. I was waking up in the middle of the night with terrible sweats, and by the time I came back home, I was feeling pretty horrible. Looking back, I think I knew there was something more going on, your body just tells you.

Top professional snooker referee Leo Scullion has encouraged those worried about potential lung cancer symptoms to get checked without delay, as someone who survived the disease after contacting his GP practice about a persistent cough.
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