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Originally posted by kini23:
Can anyone tell me if back pain is a symptom of lung cancer?
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It depends on where in the lung the tumour is, and if it has spread. But yeah, back pain is usually a symptom of a lung cancer once it's spread because it likes to spread to the spine. You can also get back pain if you have a lung cancer that is at the top of the lung because it hits nerves that are in the armpit (the brachial plexus)...this can cause both arm pain which can radiate to the back.
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A friend of mine has been complaining of back pain for months now and has smoked for 10 years.
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Doubtful that it's a metastasized cancer, 'cause the pain would normally be excruciating, and she'd be much sicker.
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Where is lung cancer back pain usually located?
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It can be anywhere in the back, but usually the mets go to the spine, and 75% of the time it goes to the thoracic spine. What can happen is the tumour can compress the spinal cord as well, so along with pain, there will be neurological signs like numbness and weakness.
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Mid or upper back? Can it be only on one side?
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Usually, like I said, the thoracic spine, so mid to upper back....it CAN be on one side, but that's less likely.
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Is it constant and excruciating?Or can it be dull and tense and come and go.
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Usually if it's a met, it's constantly painful and doesn't really abate without strong painkillers. If it's the one where you have the tumour at the top of the lung (i.e. a pancoast tumour) it can be dull.
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Can it also start in the neck?
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Yes...mets can go to the cervical spine as well, but neck pain is often associated with the pancoast tumour I mentioned above.
back pain? 
