Early detection of lung cancer is difficult, because it is often not accompanied by symptoms. Even when symptoms have appeared, often mistaken for another disease, including diseases that seem to have nothing to do with the lungs but the back pain.

“Lung cancer symptoms can include back pain if the cancer location at the edge of the lung tissue,” says Prof Dr H Wiwien Wiyono, SpP (K), FCCP, chairman of the Scientific Meeting of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine (PIPKRA) all 10 news conference in Hotel Borobudur, Indonesia.

Described by Prof. Wiwien, lung cancer is characterized by back pain is usually difficult to detect. Besides being mistaken for just a regular back pain, the results of x-rays are also sometimes unable to detect the presence of cancerous tissue.

Lung cancer is characterized by back pain is usually located at the edge, or even hidden behind the heart. On a regular x-rays, shadows formed by the shadows will disguise the heart and other organs are covered so that the cancer is difficult to detect.

“Sometimes it just scraped due to mistaken for colds. But if his back pain did not disappear even if untreated and the person is suspected of having a high risk for cancer, then it should be examined further because the pain is likely due to cancer,” explains Prof. Wiwien.

The absence of symptoms in early stage lung cancer is due to almost no pain sensitive nerves in the lung. So that when there are tumors, both benign or malignant is not always accompanied by pain in that part unless already started to grow in size.

The symptoms that accompany lung cancer is generally only arises when the size has started to grow, for example over 3 cm. If the location of the cancer in the central part or central airways, whereas if the symptoms are cough at the edge of the chest or back pain symptoms.

When it appeared the symptoms, lung cancer actually have started worse. Lung cancer can be cured if you still can be removed, whereas if it is too severe it will be directed to palliative therapy given the chance of healing the lowest lung cancer than any other cancer.