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Can you get lung cancer after 5 years of smoking?


marrylucas234

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Hi!

 

I have been smoking for 5 years and I stopped smoking around 2 weeks. What worries me is that for the past year I have basically chest pains and recently I begun having a consistent cough and some an occasional mucus (yellowy/brown). Should I be worried that I have lung cancer? Or could it be something else that I have? Because one thing is for sure... this is a sign that there is something wrong.

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Congratulations on quitting smoking! I understand that quitting can be really tough, but you'll thank yourself for it once all the unpleasantness has passed. It's likely going to take your lungs a little while to heal and purge themselves of all the tar and other crud that's built up over the years, so don't be surprised if the coughing and tightness persist for a few more weeks.

 

While it's unlikely that you have lung cancer, it is always a possibility. Repeated damage to tissues can lead to abnormal regrowth of cells. It's more probable, though, that you have developed a different lung condition from smoking, such as asthma or chronic bronchitis. You should definitely see a doctor, so that you can find out if there is an underlying condition, other than angry lungs, and get treated for it.

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There can be many things that causes the colored mucus to be expelled... and it isn't necessarily cancer. I would suggest seeing a doctor, he will probably run some blood tests and take a throat swab. It sounds more like an infection than a disease. But it is always safer to just check it out first before getting to worked up. I know from experience, recently I have had some major health issues, which at first they only diagnosis was Multiple Sclerosis but there are a range of other things it could be also... I got worked up and upset but my first MRI came back clean so less of a chance!!

 

What I am trying to say with that example is don't think the worst until it really is the worst if it ever is :)

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