I am 25 and a smoker. Does blood in my cough mean cancer?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 25 years old. I am a smoker, and I have smoked for five years. My issue was four months ago.

I got my chest X-ray, and it was normal. Then I gave up smoking for three months, then again smoked for 1.5 months, but in five months, I smoked 15 cigarettes.

After some days, I was in another place, and the temperature was low. I was riding my bike and started coughing. My cough was dry and had no mucus.

So, I took medicine, and it was gone in three days. But I have been coughing four to five times a day. So yesterday morning, while cleaning my tongue, I coughed, and blood came out.

So in the night, I did it on purpose again, and blood came out. So I am scared, but in the morning, I did it on purpose many times and heavily, but no blood, mucus, fever, or chest pain, and no shortness of breath.

And whenever it is cold, I get a cough, and when it is sunny, there is no cough. I am scared to death. Is this cancer?

Please help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Do not usually worry. This type of dry cough is due to allergies, environmental pollution, changes in weather, etc. Smoking will usually worsen it.

But you said that the X-ray chest was normal, which is a good thing. The worrying things are if you are suffering from recurrent fever, weight loss, shortness of breath, sweating, and a persistent cough for more than three weeks.

You had one episode of blood with a cough, but without examining physically, it is difficult to comment; it could have been due to gum bleeding. Sometimes, forced and excessive coughing can cause a mild rupture in the mucosa and slight bleeding. But if it is coming again and again, then you need a thorough check-up by a pulmonologist.

So it looks like an allergic cough. Quit smoking, avoid pollution, dust, smoke, etc., and eat a balanced diet. If the cough persists or there is one more episode of blood with sputum or fever develops, consult a pulmonologist.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.