Does Cancer Cause Chest & Spine Pain?

There are many types of cancers, and each comes with its own symptoms and areas of pain. Some cancers lead to pain in the chest and spine.

Lung Cancer

• Lung cancer can cause constant chest pain and does so in about 25 percent of patients, usually along with other symptoms. Coughing is the primary symptom of lung cancer, affecting 74 percent of patients. Bloody phlegm affects 57 percent and shortness of breath 37 percent.

Spinal Tumors

• Tumors in the spine can cause spine pain and can possibly collapse the vertebrae. This pain can radiate to others areas of your body, including your chest, particularly at night. Spinal tumors cause constant back pain that is not relived by mild analgesics.

Metastases

• Cancer can begin in your lungs and spread to your spine or begin in an outside area and spread to one or both places. This is known as metastasis (plural metastases). Small cell lung cancer is more likely to spread than non-small cell lung cancer.

Incidence

• Statistically, seven in 10 patients who have any type of cancer will develop spine metastases--this is a common location for cancer to spread. However, only one in 10 of these patients will experience pain from the metastases.

Considerations

• Upper spine metastases can also lead to weakness or pain in the arms or other areas as the tumor impinges the nerves of the spinal cord.