Persistent chest tightness and breathing discomfort, often brushed off as stress, acidity or seasonal asthma, may be early warning signs of lung cancer that patients commonly overlook, warns a leading oncologist.
In an interview with Indiatoday.in, Dr Abhijit Das, Sr. Consultant, Radiation Oncology at HCG Cancer Hospital, Kolkata, explained why so many cases continue to be detected late and what symptoms truly merit urgent medical attention.
“Chest discomfort from lung cancer usually feels constant and deep, not the on-and-off tightness you get with anxiety or the burning feeling from acidity,” he says. Unlike stress-related tightness, the pain tends to worsen with time and is often accompanied by red flags such as a persistent cough, unexplained tiredness or weight loss.
“Most importantly, it doesn’t go away with calming down or taking antacids, that steady, lingering pain is what makes it different,” he emphasises.
Health experts add that many patients only seek help once the pain interferes with breathing, sleep, or daily functioning, by which point the disease may have already progressed.
Breathing trouble usually appears late, making lung cancer a ‘silent disease’
Contrary to popular belief, early lung cancer rarely causes noticeable breathing issues.
“Breathing difficulty or chest pressure usually appear later in the disease,” Dr Das explains. “Early tumours are often too small to block airways. Most people have no symptoms at the beginning.”
This “silent progression” is one of the biggest reasons lung cancer continues to be detected at advanced stages in India, where screening rates remain low.
THE PAIN PATTERNS THAT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED
Dr Das says certain types of pain warrant immediate evaluation:
– Pain that worsens with deep breaths, indicates irritation around the lungs
– Pain triggered by coughing or laughing more likely a lung-related issue
– Pain that increases at night or when lying down, suggests pressure changes
– Persistent deep ache that remains in the same area
Pain radiating to the shoulder or upper back
“These patterns don’t always mean cancer, but if they linger or worsen, they definitely need to be checked,” he says.
Senior clinicians note that Indians frequently attribute such pain to acidity, viral infections or gym strain, losing valuable time before diagnosis.
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