Be Alert, Nail Conditions Can Be A Sign Of Lung Cancer

Lung disease (Pexels Towfiqu).jpeg

JAKARTA - Lung cancer is not only characterized by continuous cough. The condition of certain nails can also be a sign of lung cancer.

This was conveyed by a lung specialist at NYC Health, Davood Johari. He said that 5-15 percent of lung cancer patients experience certain conditions on their nails.

"The finger drop looks wider and rounder than usual, with nails curling down, resembling an inverse spoon," Johari said, quoted by the New York Post, on Saturday, October 18, 2025.

It is not yet known for certain the relationship between lung cancer and certain finger conditions. However, Johari suspects that this condition was triggered by substances that made blood vessels in his fingers widen.

These substances can be produced by lung cancer that has already attacked the body. As a result, blood flow to the finger area increases so that swelling occurs.

Quoting from the Cleveland Clinic page, the condition of the nails is medically swollen, known as nail clubbing. This is often a sign of chronic health conditions that require immediate treatment, such as lung cancer.

Nail clubbing is a change in the structure of the fingers or feet, which can occur due to the underlying health conditions. The shape of the nail clubbing is as follows:

- Fingers feel soft like sponges - Feel warm when touched - The shape soars to look like an overturning spoon - Looks red

Nail clubbing can occur on all nails. However, this condition often begins on the thumb and index first, before spreading to other nails over time.