Lung Cancer is sometimes misdiagnosed as COPD

It has been reported that some patients have been misdiagnosed with COPD , when in fact the correct diagnosis in their specific case was Lung Cancer.

In most cases, the sooner a diagnosis is made, the better the prognosis. Unfortunately, in some instances, there is a delay in diagnosis. In a report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, lung cancer was one of the top three cancers most often misdiagnosed. As with all types of cancer, lung cancer is a progressive disease. A delay in diagnosis may mean treatment is not started until the cancer is advanced. Patients with advanced lung cancer often have a poor long-term survival rate

Always consult your doctor or health professional, and do not self diagnose.

Symptoms can include:

Worsened and persistent coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing up blood, chest pain, feeling constantly fatigued, weight loss

Symptoms are a guideline only and may apply to either the diagnosis or the reported misdiagnosis, or both. Consult your specialist for further information.

Further reference: