Lung cancer accounts for 21 percent of all cancer deaths in the UK, with its warning signs often not showing until the disease is advanced.
Two unusual signs that appear on your hands could signal the UK’s most deadly cancer. According to experts, these lesser-known symptoms are red flags for lung cancer – the most common cause of cancer deaths across the nation.
Statistics from Cancer Research UK show that the disease is responsible for around 34,800 fatalities every year, accounting for 21 percent of all deaths from cancer. Part of the reason it is so deadly is the fact that in the early stages it often doesn’t cause symptoms, meaning it might not be picked up until it is quite advanced.
The NHS explains: “Lung cancer does not usually cause noticeable symptoms until it’s spread through the lungs or into other parts of the body. This means the outlook for the condition is not as good as many other types of cancer.”
Therefore, looking out for any potential warning signs is vital. According to Cancer Research UK, two of these can appear in your hands.
Finger clubbing
The charity lists finger clubbing as one possible sign of lung cancer. Finger clubbing usually affects the top of the fingers on both hands.
It seems to happen in stages:
- There is softening of the base of the nail (nail bed) and redness (erythema) of the skin around the nail
- The angle between the nail bed and the nail fold (the skin just below the cuticle) increases, which causes the nail to curve more than usual
- The nail and the skin around the nail look shiny, and the nail has ridges along the length of it
- The ends of the fingers look larger, giving the “clubbed” appearance.
“Finger clubbing generally takes years to develop”, Cancer Research UK says. “But it can happen quicker in certain conditions such as a lung abscess.”
It is not known exactly what causes finger clubbing. However, it is thought it could be due to large cells called megakaryocytes getting stuck in the small blood vessels in the tips of the fingers.
You can test to see if your fingers are clubbed by pressing two fingernails (one from each hand) together. In healthy fingers, a diamond-shaped gap should appear between them. If there is no gap they could be clubbed.
Swollen wrists and fingers
Some people with lung cancer will experience swollen fingers and nails, and pain and swelling in their joints. This condition is called hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPOA).
One symptom of HPOA is clubbed fingers, however, it can also lead to swollen fingers and wrists. Cancer Research UK explains: “Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy is a condition that affects some people with lung cancer.
“It most often causes inflammation of bones and joints in the wrists and ankles. Another common symptom is clubbing of the fingers.”
The NHS warns that there are “usually no signs or symptoms” in the early stages of lung cancer, but “many people” with the condition eventually develop symptoms including:
- A persistent cough
- Coughing up blood
- Persistent breathlessness
- Unexplained tiredness and weight loss
- An ache or pain when breathing or coughing.
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If you experience any symptoms of lung cancer you should speak to your GP. The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking cigarettes, which is responsible for more than seven out of 10 cases.