When it comes to nodules, I believe that everyone is no stranger, nodules are small lumps that occur in various parts of the human body, of which lung nodules are a more common nodule.
Lung nodules often have no symptoms in the early stages, so most patients are nodules found during physical examinations, at this time patients will worry about these nodules will be lung cancer? If you want to know the answer, you may wish to read on.
Are lung nodules lung cancer?
Lung nodules are not necessarily lung cancer, because lung nodules are actually divided into benign and malignant, benign nodules are usually not harmful, will not cause obvious effects on patients, and will not appear cancerous.
But the malignant nodule is different, it has a strong ability to invade, will invade the lungs and surrounding tissues, damage the function of the lungs, so that patients have a variety of symptoms, if not treated in time, will continue to deteriorate, and finally develop lung cancer.
How do lung nodules form?
So why do nodules grow in the lungs? I believe that many patients do not understand why they have lung nodules, in fact, there are many reasons for long nodules in the lungs, such as occupational factors and disease infections.
Occupational factors are mainly that patients work in specific environments that are exposed to chemicals such as asbestos, vinyl chloride, and radon, and once these substances are inhaled into the lungs, they can damage the lungs and induce the formation of nodules.
Infections with certain diseases can also cause lung nodules, including small cell lung cancer, melanoma, colon cancer, and coccidiosis.
What happens when a lung nodule worsens into lung cancer?
Under normal circumstances, nodules in the lungs do not cause obvious abnormal manifestations, and at most there are mild symptoms of cough and sputum production, but if they worsen, they will cause the patient to have the following more serious symptoms.
1. Chest pain
If a patient with a lung nodule develops symptoms of chest pain, it needs to be taken seriously, which may be because the nodule invades the surrounding tissues of the lungs, causing pain.
This symptom is one of the main manifestations of the beginning of the deterioration of the nodule, once the chest pain appears, the patient should go to the hospital as soon as possible for examination and treatment.
2. Cough up blood
Coughing up blood is the main manifestation of the deterioration of nodules in the lungs, and the presence of this symptom indicates that the nodules have deteriorated, compressing the surrounding capillaries, causing damage to the blood vessels and causing coughing up blood.
If a patient with a nodule in the lungs develops this symptom, a screening of the tumor should be performed in the hospital as soon as possible to determine whether it has worsened.
3. Fever
If fever occurs in patients with lung nodules, vigilance should be raised, which may be due to worsening of the nodules. Once the lung nodules worsen, a large number of cancer cells form, and cancer cells release inflammatory mediators when they are generated and necrosis, causing the body temperature to rise.
4. Difficulty breathing
Ordinary nodules usually do not affect the respiratory function of the lungs, but if they deteriorate, it will affect the normal functioning of respiratory function, causing patients to have symptoms of dyspnea.
From the above introduction, we know that nodules are not necessarily lung cancer, benign nodules do not deteriorate, and malignant nodules may deteriorate into lung cancer.
To determine whether the nodule has worsened, you can observe whether there are chest pain, coughing up blood, fever and breathing difficulties, if there is, you must go to the hospital in time for examination, if the diagnosis can also be taken as soon as possible to take treatment measures.