East Kilbride, Scotland — Medical professionals are urging the public to stay vigilant regarding changes in their fingertips, as these alterations could signal lung cancer. While typical indicators of the disease include a chronic cough and persistent breathlessness, experts are highlighting a less familiar symptom: finger clubbing.
Finger clubbing is characterized by swollen fingertips and changes in nail shape. It occurs when certain substances released by lung tumors lead to inflammation in the bones of the fingers. Health professionals stress that recognizing these symptoms early is crucial. Brian Gemmell, a fitness trainer and former lung cancer patient, emphasized the importance of prompt medical consultation. His only symptom was finger clubbing, and he encourages anyone noticing similar changes to see a healthcare provider.
Gemmell, who previously shared his experience with the Roy Castle Lung Foundation, described feeling otherwise healthy prior to his diagnosis. “I wasn’t coughing up blood, I wasn’t breathless,” he recalled. “My one and only symptom was clubbing of the fingers.” Following his consultation, Gemmell underwent a chest X-ray that confirmed his condition. Despite the grim prognosis of stage three lung cancer, he has since re-trained as a personal fitness instructor, focusing on working with cancer patients.
Experts recommend a simple at-home test known as the Schamroth window test to identify finger clubbing. This involves placing two fingers back-to-back and checking for a diamond-shaped gap between the nails. The absence of this space may indicate the onset of clubbing, which can develop over several years but sometimes appears more quickly due to complications such as infections.
A 2012 study led by Dr. Malay Sarkar, a lung cancer specialist, found that nearly 90 percent of finger clubbing cases are associated with lung cancer. In the UK, around 48,500 new lung cancer cases are reported each year, making it the third most common cancer in the country. Approximately 5 to 15 percent of those affected may exhibit clubbing as a symptom.
Clubbing typically begins at the base of the nail, with the area becoming soft and spongy, and red, shiny skin appearing around the nail. As the condition progresses, the angle between the nail bed and skin below the cuticle expands, causing the nail to curve more than usual. Over time, this leads to a distinctly clubbed appearance. In severe instances, extra bone may form around the finger joints, which can be mistaken for arthritis and is known medically as hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPOA).
While not everyone with finger clubbing will be diagnosed with lung cancer, health experts stress the importance of contacting a doctor if symptoms arise. Recent statistics from Cancer Research UK reveal a troubling trend: cases of all types of lung cancer among young women have surged by 130 percent in recent decades, making them the fastest-growing demographic for the disease. In contrast, the rate among men has remained relatively unchanged.
Medical professionals want to dispel the notion that lung cancer primarily affects older individuals, pointing out a rise in cases among non-smokers globally. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, lung cancer is now the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in people who have never smoked.
In addition to finger clubbing, other symptoms of lung cancer can include a persistent cough that lasts beyond three weeks, frequent chest infections, coughing up blood, pain while breathing, and unforeseen weight loss. Uncommon signs also encompass alterations in finger appearance, difficulty swallowing, wheezing, changes in voice, and swelling of the face or neck. Recognizing these diverse symptoms is crucial for early detection and better outcomes in lung cancer treatment.