This is why lung cancer is one of the deadliest types. But you can notice two unusual symptoms on your hands, reports the newspaper “Lung cancer usually does not cause significant symptoms. Until it spreads to other parts of the body. This means that the outlook for treatment is not as good as for many other types of cancer,” explains the NHS.
That’s why it’s so important to be on the lookout for any potential warning signs. According to Cancer Research UK two of them may appear on the hands.
Club fingers (Hippocratic fingers)
It usually affects the upper part of the fingers on both hands. First, the lower part of the nail bed softens and the skin around the nail becomes red. The angle between the nail bed and the nail fold gradually increases, causing the nail to curve more than usual. The nail and the skin around the nail is shiny, and the nail has ridges along its entire length. The ends of the fingers are larger, causing a “club-like” appearance.
“It usually takes years to develop clubbed fingers. But in certain conditions, such as a lung abscess, it can develop more quickly,” the charity says. You can tell if you have this problem by pressing two fingernails (one from each hand) together. In healthy fingers, a diamond-shaped gap should appear between them.
Swollen wrists and fingers
Some patients suffer from swollen fingers, as well as joint pain and swelling. This condition is called hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPOA).
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 persistent cough, coughing up blood, or persistent shortness of breath. Also, unexplained fatigue, weight loss, and pain when breathing or coughing.
