White phlegm is a common clinical manifestation of respiratory diseases. Coughing up white phlegm is not fatal per se, but if the cause of white phlegm is a serious disease it may affect one’s life span. 1. White sputum is commonly seen in laryngitis, bronchitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, lung abscess, allergic respiratory inflammation, interstitial lung disease, lung cancer and other lung diseases. 2. Categorized according to the degree of severity of the disease, bronchitis and bronchiolitis are mild diseases with good prognosis after antibiotic medication and usually do not affect the life. 3. Lung cancer is a serious disease, besides coughing and sputum, chest pain, shortness of breath, hemoptysis and other symptoms can also occur. In the late stage of the disease, symptoms of distal metastasis may appear, and the 5-year survival rate is less than 15%. If the symptoms of coughing up white sputum are unexplained, it is recommended to consult a specialist in time for standardized diagnosis and treatment.