The lungs do not have pain receptors. For this reason, many people have no symptoms when lung cancer is limited to the lungs. As a result, many lung cancer patients are diagnosed after the disease has metastasized, or spread to another area of the body.
Symptoms of metastatic lung cancer depend on where the disease has spread. For instance, bone pain (such as hip pain) is common if lung cancer spreads to the bones. When cancer spreads to the brain, symptoms might include vision changes, headaches, dizziness or weakness in an arm or leg.
The lymph nodes, such as those in the neck, may also be swollen when lung cancer metastasizes.