Two lesser-known signs involving your hands may be indicators of the UK’s deadliest cancer, according to medical specialists. These tell-tale symptoms could be early warnings for lung cancer, which is recognised as the leading cause of cancer mortality in the country.
Cancer Research UK figures reveal it accounts for about 34,800 deaths every year, making up 21 per cent of all cancer-related fatalities. Lung cancer’s high mortality rate is often attributed to its late detection; the disease rarely shows any signs during initial stages, thereby often remaining undiagnosed until it is well-progressed.
The NHS advises that: “Lung cancer does not usually cause noticeable symptoms until it’s spread through the lungs or into other parts of the body. This means the outlook for the condition is not as good as many other types of cancer.”
As such, it’s crucial to pay attention to any potential early signals of the illness. Notably, Cancer Research UK points out two symptoms that might surface on the hands.
Finger clubbing
The first is finger clubbing, an affliction that typically impacts the fingertips across both hands and seems to develop progressively. The base of the nail may first soften and the surrounding skin may turn red. The angle between the nail bed and the fold of skin just below the cuticle may increase, causing the nail to curve more than usual.
The nail and surrounding skin may appear shiny, with ridges running along the length of the nail. The ends of the fingers may appear enlarged, giving a “clubbed” appearance.
According to Cancer Research UK, “finger clubbing generally takes years to develop”, but it can occur faster in certain conditions such as a lung abscess. The exact cause of finger clubbing is unknown, but it’s thought that large cells called megakaryocytes may get stuck in the small blood vessels at the tips of the fingers.
You can check for clubbing by pressing two fingernails (one from each hand) together – a diamond-shaped gap should appear between healthy fingers. If there’s no gap, they could be clubbed.
Finger and wrist swelling
Some people with lung cancer may experience swollen fingers and nails, as well as pain and swelling in their joints. This condition is known as hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPOA).
One symptom of HPOA is clubbed fingers, but it can also cause swollen fingers and wrists. As Cancer Research UK explains: “Hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy is a condition that affects some people with lung cancer.
“It most often causes inflammation of bones and joints in the wrists and ankles. Another common symptom is clubbing of the fingers.”
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:
- A persistent cough
- Coughing up blood
- Persistent breathlessness
- Unexplained tiredness and weight loss
- An ache or pain when breathing or coughing.
If you experience any symptoms of lung cancer, you should speak to your GP. The most common cause of lung cancer is smoking cigarettes, which is responsible for more than seven out of 10 cases.