Early symptoms of primary bronchopulmonary cancer include a cough, often an irritating dry cough with no or little sputum. In the presence of secondary infection, the sputum increases in volume and is mucopurulent. Alveolar cell carcinoma may have a large amount of mucus sputum. Blood in the sputum or haemoptysis is most often seen in central lung cancer.
There are many diseases in life that can cause coughing sputum, such as colds, pneumonia and bronchitis. You do not need to worry too much when you have coughing sputum and you can visit a community hospital general practice to assess your condition.