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The 'main' Symptoms Of Lung Cancer To Spot After ITV Newsreader Emily Morgan's Death At 45

Emily was the broadcaster's health and science editor and reported from the frontlines during the Covid pandemic.

While tributes from her colleagues pour in, Emily's death is a stark reminder of a disease that more than 43,000 people are diagnosed with every year in the UK.

Lung cancer is one of the most common and serious types of cancer, and worryingly there are usually no signs or symptoms in the early stages. Symptoms usually develop as the condition progresses.

Like all cancers, the earlier you spot symptoms, the more successful treatment may be.

The NHS lists the "main symptoms" to look out:

a cough that does not go away after three weeks

a long-standing cough that gets worse

chest infections that keep coming back

coughing up blood

an ache or pain when breathing or coughing

persistent breathlessness

persistent tiredness or lack of energy

loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss

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Less common symptoms that may appear include:

changes in the appearance of your fingers, such as becoming more curved or their ends becoming larger (this is known as finger clubbing)

difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) or pain when swallowing

wheezing

a hoarse voice

swelling of your face or neck

persistent chest or shoulder pain

The health body advises to see a GP if you have any of the main symptoms of lung cancer or any of the less common symptoms.

While most cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking, people who have never smoked can also develop the condition.

The health body says: "Smoking cigarettes is the single biggest risk factor for lung cancer. It's responsible for more than 7 out of 10 cases.

"Tobacco smoke contains more than 60 different toxic substances, which are known to be carcinogenic (cancer-producing).

"If you smoke more than 25 cigarettes a day, you are 25 times more likely to get lung cancer than someone who does not smoke."

Stopping smoking as soon as possible is the best way to prevent lung cancer and other serious conditions. A balanced diet and regular exercise are also recommended.

Everything You Need To Know About Chest Pains And How To Treat Them

By Dr Dulcy Rakumakoe

Old man contracting chest pains. Picture: iStock

There are different types of chest pains – they can be sharp or dull, crushing or burning.

The pain can radiate to the neck, into the jaw and spread to the back or down one or both arms, most commonly the left arm.

There are many different causes of chest pain and the most life-threatening ones involve the heart or lungs. When you experience chest pain, it is best to consult a doctor quickly so that a diagnosis can be made.

Causes

The causes of chest pain may be related to the heart, digestive tract, muscles and bones or lungs. Heart-related causes of chest pain include:

Angina. This is chest pain caused by a poor blood flow to the heart.

Heart attack. A heart attack results from a blocked blood flow to the heart muscle, often from a blood clot.

Aortic dissection. This is when the inner layers of this blood vessel (aorta) separate, blood is forced between the layers and can cause the aorta to rupture.

Pericarditis. This is the inflammation of the sac around the heart. The condition usually causes sharp pain that gets worse when breathing in or lying down.

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Disorders of the digestive system include:

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Swallowing disorders due to conditions in the oesophagus.

Gallstones or inflammation of the gallbladder or pancreas.

Muscle and bone related causes include:

Costochondritis which is when the cartilage that joins the ribs to the breastbone becomes inflamed and painful.

Sore muscles of the chest.

Lung related problems which can include:

Pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lung which can block blood flow to lung tissue.

Pleurisy is inflammation of the membrane covering the lungs. This causes chest pain that gets worse when you breathe in or cough.

A collapsed lung occurs when air leaks into the space between the lung and the ribs and causes severe pain.

Pulmonary hypertension is when the blood pressure in the lung arteries gets high and can cause chest pain.

Other causes of chest pain:

Chest pain can also be caused by:

Panic attacks. The symptoms include chest pain, fast heartbeat and breathing, sweating, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness and intense fear of dying.

Shingles. This condition can cause intense pain.

Diagnosis

Chest pain is not necessarily a heart attack, but it could be life-threatening. It is also important to find out if there are any emergencies that need attention.

Some of the first tests a healthcare provider may order when diagnosing the cause of chest pain include:

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This quick test measures the electrical activity of the heart.

Blood tests. Certain heart proteins slowly leak into the blood after heart damage from a heart attack. Blood tests can be done to check for these proteins.

Chest X-ray. An X-ray of the chest shows the condition of the lungs and the size and shape of the heart and major blood vessels v Computerised tomography (CT) scan.

CT scans can spot a blood clot in the lung or find an aortic dissection.

Echocardiogram. Sound waves are used to create videos of the heart in motion.

Stress tests. These tests of ten involve walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike while the heart rhythm is watched.

Exercise tests help show how the heart reacts to exercise.

Coronary catheterisation. This test helps healthcare providers see blockages in the heart arteries.

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Treatment

Chest pain treatment varies depending on what's causing the pain.

Artery relaxers. Nitroglycerin is usually taken as a tab let under the tongue which relaxes heart arteries so blood can flow more easily through the narrowed spaces. Some blood pressure medicines also relax and widen blood vessels.

Aspirin. If healthcare providers think that your chest pain is related to your heart, you will likely be given aspirin.

Clot-busting drugs, also called thrombolytics. If you are having a heart attack, you may receive these medicines. These work to dissolve the clot that is blocking blood from reaching the heart muscle.

Blood thinners. If you have a clot in an artery going to your heart or lungs, you will likely be given medicines to prevent more clots from forming.

Acid-reducing medicines. If chest pain is caused by stomach acid splashing into the oesophagus, a healthcare provider may suggest these medicines. They reduce the amount of acid in the stomach.

Antidepressants. If you're having panic attacks, your healthcare provider may prescribe antidepressants to help control symptoms.

Surgery. If the above medication fails, there are surgical options that your doctor will refer you to a cardiologist for.

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Husband Of Non-smoker, 24, Who Died Two Weeks After Lung Cancer Diagnosis Reveals Single Telltale Sign

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A young paramedic died from a rare form of lung cancer despite never smoking.

Meadhbh Cameron, 24, died on March 11, after being told two days before Christmas that she had weeks to live.

She married police officer Lee Cameron shortly before her death, the day after his 27th birthday.

Meadhbh first noticed something was wrong in September when she coughed up a blood clot while in hospital as part of her job.

Lee says she had an intermittent nighttime cough with no other symptoms, but a scan revealed a shadow on her lung.

Four weeks later, Meadhbh was told she had stage 4 combined small cell lung cancer, an extremely aggressive and rare form of cancer, not typically seen in a young, non-smoker in good health.

Meadhbh, who worked in Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, was given chemo but the cancer had spread to bones and lymph nodes,

She married Lee at a ceremony carried out by Kenny Gray, a healthcare support worker who worked in the ward in the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.

Lee, who lives in Glasgow, is running the Loch Ness Marathon in October - as it was top of his wife's bucket list of things she hoped to do.

Lee said: "She told me she had coughed up a blood clot while in hospital with a patient and that an x-ray had revealed a shadow in her left lung.

"This was totally out of the blue, as she had no other symptoms, other than an intermittent cough at night.

"The specialists advised us that Meadhbh's type of cancer was incurable, however it tended to respond well to chemotherapy.

(Scottish Ambulance Service/ SWNS)

"They informed us that with chemo Meadhbh would likely have a year to live if not more due to her age and health."

Meadhbh received three rounds of chemotherapy but was hospitalised each time with neutropenia, a condition which results in a low number of white blood cells, neutrophils, in blood.

Lee said: "On the third time she was hospitalised, we were informed that Meadhbh's treatment wasn't working and that the cancer in her spine was compressing her spinal cord.

"We were told that she had six to eight weeks to live, on December 23."

Meadhbh passed away the day after Lee's 27th birthday.

Lee added: "Despite the high levels of sedation she was under, Meadhbh still managed to wake up and hum 'Happy Birthday' to me.

"This was a true testament to Meadhbh's strength and character.

"In the end cancer robbed Meadhbh of everything but her compassion, humour and mental strength.

"Meadhbh was an incredibly caring and compassionate soul who had an outstanding passion for life.

"Her smile could brighten even the darkest of days and she was the life and soul of the party.

"Those traits are what made her an exceptional paramedic, a job that she absolutely loved.

"It gives me great honour in being able to call her my wife."

Lee is fundraising for Beatson Cancer Charity, which supported the couple.

He added: "The support they provided to my wife and I was second to none, especially with Meadhbh's prognosis, which unfortunately involved spending her last Christmas in hospital.

"The Teenage and Young Adult team arranged for Meadhbh to get a private room so I could stay with her and also provided festive food along with a host of other things, including psychological support.

"They even helped Meadhbh and I bring forward our wedding so we could still have our big day, which is something I am incredibly grateful for.

"Before passing, she had a bucket list of things she wanted to do and at the top was run a marathon."

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