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Medical Author:

George Schiffman, MD, FCCP

George Schiffman, MD, FCCP

Dr. Schiffman received his B.S. degree with High Honors in biology from Hobart College in 1976. He then moved to Chicago where he studied biochemistry at the University of Illinois, Chicago Circle. He attended Rush Medical College where he received his M.D. degree in 1982 and was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society. He completed his Internal Medicine internship and residency at the University of California, Irvine.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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About 25% of persons with carcinoid lung tumors are asymptomatic (have no symptoms) at the time of discovery. Most of the time, carcinoid lung tumors are found on a routine chest X-ray done for unrelated medical problems (referred to as an incidental finding).

The severity and range of symptoms depend on the size of the tumor and whether or not it produces hormones.

Persons with carcinoid lung tumors may complain of the following symptoms:

• Cough that does not go away
  
  
• Coughing up blood (50%)
  
  
• Chest pain
  
  
• Difficulty in breathing
  
  
• Wheezing
  
  
• Fever (due to infection in the lung)

Sometimes the health care practitioner considers the possibility of a tumor only after treatment with antibiotics fails to cure a lung infection.

Although uncommon, symptoms of various endocrine syndromes (carcinoid syndrome) can be the initial indicator of carcinoid lung tumors.

The symptoms of carcinoid syndrome include the following:

• Facial flushing (redness and a warm feeling that may last hours to days)
  
  
• Sweating
  
  
• Diarrhea
  
  
• Fast heartbeat
  
  
• Weight gain
  
  
• Increased facial and body hair
  
  
• Increased skin pigmentation

In persons with malignancy (rare), the presence of metastatic disease can produce the following:

• Weight loss
  
  
• Weakness
  
  
• General feeling of ill health

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Coughs A cough is a symptom of an underlying disease or condition. A chronic or persistent cough may signal certain lung conditions that should be evaluated by a healt...learn more >>

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