Sign 8: Fatigue
We’ve all felt it, that overwhelming sensation of exhaustion where the body seems to be dragging its feet, demanding an immediate shut-eye. Fatigue, in its transient form, is commonplace, often chalked up to a long day or a sleepless night. But when this feeling of exhaustion becomes chronic, refusing to abate despite ample rest, it demands attention.
When cancer makes its presence known within the body, it starts an incessant tug of war for resources. Malignancies, including lung cancer, tend to consume a significant amount of the body’s energy supply. As the tumor grows, the body’s metabolic rate increases in an attempt to combat the invading cells. This heightened state of alertness and defense leads to an energy drain, causing the individual to feel persistently tired.
There’s another player in this fatigue saga: anemia. Tumors in the lung can indirectly cause a reduction in red blood cell count. When the body’s oxygen transport mechanism is compromised, due to a drop in red blood cells, fatigue sets in. Shortness of breath, another symptom of lung cancer, exacerbates this fatigue, creating a compounded effect. (8)
