It is important to get any of these symptoms checked out by a doctor but any could be caused by an illness other than lung cancer.

Diagnosis starts with an examination by a GP who may arrange for x-rays and tests to be conducted at a hospital. The hospital doctors may also do a CT scan or spiral CT scan which is a series of x-rays that build up a three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body and can help find the site and size of the cancer; or a Bronchoscopy which is where the inside of the lung airways are examined with a bronchoscope. This is a thin flexible tube which is passed via the nose or mouth into the airways, the doctor can then look through the bronchoscope to check for abnormalities. Photographs and biopsies can be taken at the same time.

Small cell lung cancer is normally treated with chemotherapy which enables the patient to live longer with better control of the symptoms. Unless small cell lung cancer is found very early surgery is not normally done because the cancer will have spread to other parts of the body before being diagnosed. Sometimes radiotherapy is given to the head to prevent the cancer spreading to the brain and in advanced cases of small cell lung cancer it is used to effectively relieve symptoms such as pain.

Non small cell lung cancer is treated 小細胞肺癌 differently depending on the stage of the cancer; at an early stage surgery can be used to remove the cancer and is often followed up with chemotherapy. Radiotherapy may also be used on patients not fit enough or choosing not to have surgery. In advanced stages chemotherapy and radiotherapy are used, sometimes a combination of the two. These are used to maintain a good quality of life for as long as possible and relive pain.