Lung cancer sign: Hoarseness

A hoarse, raspy, or weak voice can be another indicator of lung cancer.

"There's a nerve called the recurrent laryngeal nerve that goes between your trachea and esophagus and under your aorta," says Flores. It connects to your larynx (which houses the vocal cords), and if a tumor is pressing on this nerve, it can become paralyzed.

"[This means] your vocal cords don't close, and you need your vocal cords to close to be able to cough, sing, and speak," says Flores. He notes that hoarseness can also be a symptom of vocal cord cancer—which is also associated with smoking.

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Lung cancer sign: Shortness of breath

Shortness of breath can indicate that there's a blockage—say, a tumor—preventing you from getting enough air into your lungs. But it can also be a sign of an accumulation of fluid between your lungs and your chest wall.

This happens when the cancer invades your lymphatics and venous structures, which are responsible for allowing fluid to leave your chest, Flores says. If there's a blockage in these areas, fluid won't be able to drain, leading to buildup.

"It's called a pleural effusion—you're going to feel like you're not getting enough air into your lungs, because the fluid is pushing on the lung and not allowing it to expand," says Flores.

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