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Woman's fingernail reveals she had lung cancer

One Facebook picture led her to discover there was something seriously wrong

Woman's fingernail reveals she had lung cancer

One Facebook picture led her to discover there was something seriously wrong

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Woman's fingernail reveals she had lung cancer

One Facebook picture led her to discover there was something seriously wrong

Jean Taylor noticed her fingernails were curling over and was curious to see if anyone within her Facebook community had any idea what was causing it. Taylor posted the below photograph asking for opinions and was quickly urged by her friends to go and see a doctor."A tad extreme I thought," Taylor wrote in a subsequent post to a Facebook group. But as it turned out, it wasn't extreme at all."I was rushed for blood tests and a chest x-ray," she explained. Following that, Taylor underwent a CT scan, a PET scan, more blood tests, a breathing test, a heart scan, an MRI scan and finally a lung biopsy.After what she describes as a "gruelling" two weeks, Taylor said she was diagnosed with cancer in both of her lungs."When your nails curve its often linked to heart and lung disease and its official term is 'clubbing'," she wrote, adding: "I had no idea."While Jean, and, no doubt, a large proportion of people, were unaware that curvature of the nail could be an indicator of heart and lung problems, the U.K. based organization Cancer Research has a page dedicated to explaining it on their site. Noting that finger clubbing actually occurs relatively frequently in some lung cancer incidences (35 percent of non small cell lung cancer cases, or 4 percent of small cell lung cancer), Cancer Research explains that "clubbing is thought to be caused by fluid collecting in the soft tissues at the ends of the fingers. This is caused by more blood flowing to the area than usual," the information reads, clarifying that scientists don't know exactly why this happens.While lung cancer is very rare in young people, it's still always worth being aware of some of the other symptoms, which include a persistent cough, persistent chest infections, coughing up blood, aches or pains when breathing, breathlessness, lack of energy and unexplained weight loss.

Jean Taylor noticed her fingernails were curling over and was curious to see if anyone within her Facebook community had any idea what was causing it. Taylor posted the below photograph asking for opinions and was quickly urged by her friends to go and see a doctor.

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"A tad extreme I thought," Taylor wrote to a . But as it turned out, it wasn't extreme at all.

"I was rushed for blood tests and a chest x-ray," she explained. Following that, Taylor underwent a CT scan, a PET scan, more blood tests, a breathing test, a heart scan, an MRI scan and finally a lung biopsy.

After what she describes as a "gruelling" two weeks, Taylor said she was diagnosed with cancer in both of her lungs.

"When your nails curve its often linked to heart and lung disease and its official term is 'clubbing'," she wrote, adding: "I had no idea."

While Jean, and, no doubt, a large proportion of people, were unaware that curvature of the nail could be an indicator of heart and lung problems, the U.K. based organization has a page dedicated to explaining it on their site.

Noting that finger clubbing actually occurs relatively frequently in some lung cancer incidences (35 percent of non small cell lung cancer cases, or 4 percent of small cell lung cancer), Cancer Research explains that "clubbing is thought to be caused by fluid collecting in the soft tissues at the ends of the fingers. This is caused by more blood flowing to the area than usual," the information reads, clarifying that scientists don't know exactly why this happens.

While , it's still always worth being aware of some of the other , which include a persistent cough, persistent chest infections, coughing up blood, aches or pains when breathing, breathlessness, lack of energy and unexplained weight loss.

[H/T ]