Lung cancer can develop within the airways, or bronchi, within the lungs, or in the air sacs that facilitate oxygen transfer from the air into the bloodstream. In it’s early stages, the cancerous tumor remains situated within one region of the lung, and as the cancer progresses the tumor cells invade other regions of the lung and grow toward other tissues. Stage IV lung cancers are considered metastatic cancer—the cancer cells have migrated to form tumors in distant organs throughout the body. Patients with stage IV lung cancer experience a number of unpleasant and potentially fatal symptoms.
Coughing Up Bloody Sputum
One common symptom of stage IV lung cancer is the development of bloody sputum along with excessive coughing. During cancer growth, cancer cells actively damage healthy tissue, creating more space for future cancer growth. Damage to cells and tissues in the lungs leads to bleeding and mucus production, so patients with advanced lung cancer often cough up bloody sputum. Cancer therapies that slow tumor growth within the lungs may help alleviate coughing and mucus production.
Hormone Imbalances
Stage IV lung cancers may develop within multiple distant organs and tissues, such as the adrenal glands, according to the University of Miami. The two adrenal glands sit on top of the kidneys, and specialized cells within the glands produce and secrete a number of hormones such as cortisol and testosterone. Cancer spreading to the adrenal glands modifies the behavior of the glandular tissue and influences the hormone output of the gland. As a result, patients with stage IV lung cancer may develop hormone imbalances, which lead to changes in secondary sex characteristics, or changes in blood pressure or blood sugar.
Headaches
Lung cancer also common metastasizes to the brain, causing a number of unpleasant symptoms, reports the Merck Manuals. One of the early symptoms of lung cancer growth in the brain is the development of abnormally prolonged or severe headaches. Headaches as a result of cancer growths often differ from a patient’s previous history of headaches; they may be localized within one region and occur daily or for hours at a time. Lung cancer patients experiencing abnormal headaches should discuss their concerns with a physician to rule out the possibility of cancer metastasis.
