Liv Bridge
Medics have issued a warning about a little-known change to your fingertips which could be an early indication of cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, lung cancer stands as the second-most common cancer in men and women in the US, excluding skin cancer.
The danger of it is that often symptoms don't tend to appear until harmful cells have spread throughout the body and are often respiratory when they do.
Well-documented signs of the deadly condition include wheezing, a persistent cough and breathlessness, as well as blood or phlegm.
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But medics are now warning there is actually a lesser-known red flag that can be spotted in a minute detail on our hands.
Health professionals have issued a dire warning for people to pay attention to any changes in their hands, specifically swelling in the fingers and a change to the nail shape, which has been linked to the disease.
The condition, known medically as clubbed fingers, appears as changes to the nails on our fingers and toes, and is mostly a symptom than a disease itself, the Cleveland Clinic notes.
How this happens is thought to occur as a result of substances being released by lung tumors that inflame the bones in fingers, as well as toxic chemicals that the body produces that develop the cancer.
A former patient only had the clubbed fingers symptom when they were diagnosed and is likewise warning others to look out for the tell-tale sign.
Brian Gemmell, a fitness instructor from Scotland, UK, told The Mirror: "Go and see your doctor—that's what a GP is for."
"Go as soon as you can," he urged.
Gemmell claimed he never suffered a cough and was 'feeling healthy.'
He added: "I wasn’t coughing up blood, I wasn’t breathless. My one and only symptom was clubbing of the fingers, where all your fingers swell up and when you put your fingers together you can’t see a diamond.
"That was my only symptom. Straightaway, my GP had an idea of what it was. He sent me straight for a chest X-ray and referred me to a respiratory consultant."
To test yourself if you have finger clubbing, medics say there is a screening known as a Schamroth window test that can be carried out from home.
The test involves pressing two opposing fingers against each other to check for a diamond shape.
If you don't see a small diamond, it could be an indication of finger clubbing.
The warning comes as a study in 2012 by Dr Malay Sarkar, an India-based lung cancer specialist, discovered lung cancer is the primary cause of finger clubbing, linked to almost 90 percent of cases, while nail clubbing affects around five to 15 percent of people with lung cancer.
However, Cancer Research UK adds that not everyone with finger clubbing will have lung cancer but still advises those who do to seek medical advice.
Dr Helen Piercy also told the news outlet: "If you notice any signs or symptoms that concern you, see your GP.
"First phone for an appointment. You will be assessed. You will be invited in, if you need to be seen face-to-face. Don't be afraid. Pick up the phone."