Can a chest xray show lung cancer?

The symptoms of lung cancer can vary between different people. Many people do not have symptoms in the early stages and lung cancer may be diagnosed when a chest X-ray is performed for a different reason. Initial symptoms of lung cancer may include one or more of the following: Persistent cough. read more

April 8, 2005 -- When the news that Peter Jennings had lung cancer hit earlier this week, many WebMD users asked why doctors don't use chest X-rays to diagnose lung cancer at an early stage, when it's more treatable. WebMD turned to cancer expert Harold Burstein, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, for the answer. read more

If you have any symptoms of lung cancer, your doctor may order a chest X-ray. A chest X-ray of someone with lung cancer may show a visible mass or nodule. This mass will look like a white spot on your lungs, while the lung itself will appear black. read more

It can also show the size, shape, and position of any lung tumors and can help find enlarged lymph nodes that might contain cancer that has spread from the lung. Most people with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) will get a CT of the chest and abdomen to look at the lungs and lymph nodes, and to look for abnormal areas in the adrenal glands, liver, and other organs that might be from the spread of lung cancer. read more