Can Shoulder Pain Be a Sign of Lung Cancer? Subtle Signs You Need to Watch Out For

By Dr. Trinanjan Basu, HOD Radiation Oncology, HCG Cancer Center, Borivali, Mumbai 

After a long day at the office or post an intense workout session and some heavy lifting, a shoulder pain is quite common but imagine experiencing a continuous discomfort that is not cured by painkillers and quietly impedes your everyday activities. What if there was another reason behind that persistent ache? Most people will never think that some types of shoulder pain can be caused by lung cancer, which manifest silently.

The ache in your shoulders might actually be caused by a Pancoast tumour, that develops in the top portion of the lung and may compress nerves that run to the shoulder. Such tumour may cause pain that goes to the shoulder, back, or even arm. This type of tumour does not cause the usual symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath. Thus, it is important to be able to identify these covert indicators to identify health problems early and start treatment.

The shoulder pain caused by lung cancer is not relieved by rest, heat packs, or other standard pain management techniques. This pain can be severe, throbbing, or moderate, and it can get worse at night, making it harder to sleep. It is very important to see a health practitioner to rule out any underlying causes, and if the shoulder pain is chronic, inexplicable, and does not follow a distinct pattern of injury or strain.

While lung cancer is known for its ability to masque behind entirely unrelated symptoms, therefore aside from shoulder pain, the following minor signs could be considered worth paying attention to:

1. Sudden and unexplained weight loss: One of the earliest signs of most malignancies, including lung cancer is sudden and unexpected loss of weight. Consult your physician if you suddenly start losing weight without deliberately reducing the calorie intake through dieting or changes in your lifestyle
2. Persistent Fatigue: Chronic tiredness that lingers for weeks despite rest and relaxation is another red flag to watch out for. It’s usually characterized by interference with your ability to engage in daily chores, without it being necessarily linked with increased physical activity.
3. Hoarseness of voice: If the hoarseness or change of voice persists beyond two weeks, it might be from irritation of the vocal cord. While in some cases nerves linked to the voice box can be impacted by lung cancer and result in chronic hoarseness
4. Recurrent respiratory infections: Pneumonia or bronchitis episodes that are recurrent may be indicative of irritated or blocked airways. It may be due to repeated respiratory problems and vulnerability to infections because of a lung tumour.
5. Swelling in face or neck: Large veins can be compressed to obstruct the flow of blood returning from the head toward the heart by lung cancers; as a result, sometimes people experience bulges on the face or the neck. This is also among the symptoms that have the potential to appear and does so less frequently.

Any of the above symptoms along with persistent shoulder pain should not be ignored. Even though shoulder pain alone is rarely an indicator of lung cancer, it should be taken seriously when accompanied by other minor symptoms. Early diagnosis of early-stage lung cancer can significantly lead to a good outcome for treatment since lung cancer often presents itself with ambiguous, non-specific symptoms.