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It's a scary statistic that a third of us wouldn't see the doctor if we had a persistent cough. We caught up with TV Presenter Gaby Roslin about losing her mum to the disease.

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WHAT IS LUNG CANCER?

Lung cancer is when abnormal cells divide in an uncontrolled way to form a tumour in the lung.The main symptoms are a cough, breathlessness and weight loss. The treatment you need depends on what type you have as well as your general health. Treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

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WHEN SHOULD YOU VISIT YOUR DOCTOR?

Lung cancer doesn't always cause symptoms in its early stages. Many of the signs and symptoms can also be caused by other medical conditions but finding lung cancer early can mean that it's easier to treat. So if you notice any symptoms or changes get them checked out by your GP as soon as possible.  

The most common symptoms of lung cancer are:

• having a cough most of the time
• having a change in a cough you have had for a long time - it may sound different or be painful when you cough
• getting out of breath doing the things you used to do without a problem
• coughing up phlegm (sputum) with blood in it
• having an ache or pain in the chest or shoulder
• chest infections that keep coming back or a chest infection that doesn't get better
• losing your appetite
• feeling tired all the time (fatigue)
• losing weight

For more information regarding lung cancer please contact Cancer Reseach UK here.

**Info taken from From Cancer Research UK