Breathing problems with cancer

Shortness of breath and breathlessness in people with cancer

Many of the symptoms of breathlessness can be caused by cancer, treatment for cancer, or other medical conditions.

Symptoms of breathlessness can include:

difficulty catching your breath
noisy breathing
very fast, shallow breaths
an increase in your pulse rate
wheezing
chest pain
skin that looks pale and slightly blue, especially around your mouth
cold, clammy skin
using your shoulders and the muscles in your upper chest to help you breathe
anxiety or panicky feelings

At first you might become breathless when you are walking or climbing the stairs. In time you might be breathless even when resting and sitting down.

Talk to your doctor if you are worried about your symptoms, or if they are getting worse.

Possible causes of shortness of breath or breathlessness

Breathlessness can be caused by cancer or its treatment. Other illnesses can also cause breathlessness.

Cancer treatments that can cause breathlessness include:

surgery to the lungs, for example, removing all or part of a lung to treat lung cancer
radiotherapy to the chest
some anti cancer drug treatments, for example, chemotherapy and drugs

Other illnesses that can cause breathlessness include:

chest infections
low haemoglobin levels (anaemia)
heart problems
a blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism)
lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
a build up of fluid in the lung (pleural effusion)
asthma
anxiety and panic attacks
being overweight

Anxiety

Breathing problems can be uncomfortable. You might feel very panicky. But it is important to understand which comes first.

Sometimes, people having anxiety attacks will ‘over breathe’ and become breathless. But in this case, it is their anxiety making them breathless and not the other way round.

If you do have shortness of breath and you get panicky, try some breathing and relaxation techniques. They can help you feel more in control of your breathing.

Find out about breathing and relaxation techniques

Last reviewed: 30 May 2023

Next review due: 30 May 2026

About breathlessness

People with cancer can become short of breath for many different reasons. Breathing problems can be caused by some types of cancer and cancer treatments and other conditions such as pain and heart problems.

Causes of breathlessness in people with cancer

Breathlessness can be caused by cancer or its treatment. Other medical conditions can also cause breathlessness.

Treating breathing problems

The type of treatment you need depends on the cause of your breathlessness. Find out about treating breathlessness, including treating fluid on the lung (pleural effusion).

Your cancer type

Search for the cancer type you want to find out about. Each section has detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, research and coping with cancer.