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KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- Do you know the warning signs for lung cancer? That was the topic of Tuesday’s “Facebook Story of the Day”.

Some common signs you should look out for include: a cough that doesn’t go away, shortness of breath, weight loss without trying, coughing up blood and recurrent pneumonia or bronchitis.

“I don’t know anyone who hasn’t had some sort of respiratory infection this winter,” said Dr. Justin Puckett, D.O. of Complete Family Medicine in Kirksville. “So those infections that seem that you need a second or third antibiotic, or even more steroids, that is something that a lot of people may overlook and get treated for a ‘lung infection’ when there could be can underlying cancer that hasn’t been diagnosed.”

When it comes to lung cancer, men and women are equally prone to developing it. And, even though lung cancer is associated with smokers, non-smokers can develop it as well.

“There is a lot of chemical irritants that can play a role especially in folks who worked in factories decades ago who got exposure to chemicals, that right there can  increase their risk of lung cancer,” said Dr. Puckett. “There are types of lung cancers that are totally independent, not related to smoking, so just because you haven't smoked, certainly doesn't mean you couldn’t have lung cancer.”

Since there isn’t a standardized screening for lung cancer, catching it at an early stage can be difficult.

“Lung cancer usually starts with one or multiple small masses in the lungs that once they get large enough, we can see that on a chest x-ray and then depending on the type of cancer, because there are several types of lung cancers, it can present as a very large cancer that has had few symptoms or a small cancer that has had symptoms and whether or not it has metastasized or not,” said Dr. Puckett. “So essentially on a chest x-ray, they are looking for something that is found in the lung tissue that doesn't look normal.”

Dr. Puckett also says depending on the type of lung cancer a person might have, or how early it’s caught, there are ways you can prolong the prognosis.

“Resection surgery could potentially cure it,” said Dr. Puckett. “Depending on how much damage its done, using radiation or chemotherapy as well as surgical interventions can help prolong the prognosis. But, as we all know, many lung cancers are a terminal diagnoses.”