Recently diagnosed Lung Cancer but no symptoms

My mother was recently admitted to hospital as she had been ill with a virus, couldn't keep anything down, and had become dehydrated.  The hospital did loads of tests, and saw a showdown on her lung.  They did a lymph node biopsy, and told her she had aggressive Stage 4 lung cancer that had spread to her liver.

I am struggling to understand how the cancer can be at Stage 4 already when she has not been previously diagnosed, nor had any symptoms. She was last in hospital in October when she was diagnosed with heart disease, and there was no sign of the cancer then.  Did the hospital miss the early signs?

She's now on her 2nd chemo cycle - but she still has no pain, and no cancer symptoms (which is a good thing).  Is it normal to have absolutely no pain and/or symptoms?

 

  • Hi Kay2022, my husband had stage 4 lung cancer by the time he was diagnosed and apart from a niggly cough he had no other symptoms at all, so yes it does happen.  Even during chemotherapy and radiotherapy he still had no pain or any problems apart from chemo making him tired and all the other complications that can happen, it then spread to his liver.  It's good that she has no pain and no symptoms and the oncologist will do everything they can to help her as ours did.  Take care, Carol x 

  • Hi Kay, 

    I know exactly what you are going through. Yesterday my dad was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer, they found it once it had already spread to part of his liver, lymph nodes in chest wall and part of his spine. 
    He was admitted for severe pain in his right side of his abdomen, which the doctors who diagnosed said it likely due to an abrasion on his rib rather than the cancer. Apart from that, he's fine. No weight loss, no cough, no recurrent infections, no fatigue or weakness. I too am struggling to get my head around the prospect of how he can have such an advanced cancer with no symptoms. I'm worried now what the future holds but am trying to stay positive knowing he has no symptoms and the doctors insisted on him receiving treatment. I'm sorry I can't offer much advice but just know you are not alone x