The fingernail test is incredibly easy to do – here’s what you should know
Health professionals say a simple ‘finger test’ could help spot lung cancer early and save lives. While most people know about symptoms such as chest pain, breathlessness and wheezing, warning signs can actually appear in your hands before these more obvious red flags emerge.
To perform the test, people should begin by placing their fingernails together. The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation then asks you to look for one crucial thing – can you see a small diamond-shaped gap?
If there’s no gap visible, this could suggest finger clubbing – a symptom that affects 35% of non-small cell lung cancer patients and 4% of those diagnosed with small cell lung cancer. According to the Express, the UK’s premier lung cancer charity explains: “While not having this diamond-shaped window does not automatically indicate lung cancer, it can be a symptom.
“If you think your nails are clubbed, speak to your doctor.” It’s essential to understand that any associated finger clubbing typically progresses slowly, generally beginning at the nail’s base before extending outwards, causing the nails to bend more dramatically than normal.
Cancer Research highlights that a softening nail bed and reddened skin surrounding the nails are additional tell-tale signs. Sometimes, these alterations can take place over multiple years.
“Finger clubbing means there are certain changes in the shape of your fingers and fingernails,” the charity explains. “It is also called digital clubbing or Hippocratic fingers. People with conditions such as heart or lung problems sometimes have these changes.”
This crucial warning comes as lung cancer remains one of the most common cancers. NHS figures reveal that more than 43,000 people across the UK are diagnosed with the condition every year.
Although lung cancer presents itself in different ways, many patients will go on to develop several additional worrying symptoms. These typically encompass the following:
- Persistent coughing
- Breathlessness
- Coughing up blood
- Unexplained fatigue and weight loss
- Pain or aches when breathing or coughing
NHS advice adds: “Lung cancer mainly affects older people. It’s rare in people younger than 40. More than four out of 10 people diagnosed with lung cancer in the UK are aged 75 and older.
“Although people who have never smoked can develop lung cancer, smoking is the most common cause (accounting for more than 70 out of 100 cases). This is because smoking involves regularly inhaling a number of different toxic substances.
“You should see a GP if you have these symptoms.”
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