This is what keeps me up at night at 43 years of age with the only symptom of Phelgm everyday.

Lung Cancer is awful hands down BUT what is this?!?

Can someone PUT this context in elementary language- because it sounds like if you have everyday Phelgm- You are in trouble.

Clogged airway by mucus leads to reduced airflow and then plays a role in the pathogenesis of COPD. COPD patients are at 3.5-fold greater risk of dying if they have airway mucus hypersecretion than if they do not.20

In patients with airway mucus hypersecretion and COPD, accelerated decline in lung function is associated with a high rate of hospitalization and acute exacerbation of COPD. Patients with chronic cough and expectoration exhibit a significantly higher incidence of acute exacerbation, which is mostly induced by bacterial and viral infection.21–23 The motions involved in chronic cough and expectoration may accelerate dynamic lung hyperinflation, which may help explain why chronic cough and expectoration are independent risk factors for reduced exercise capacity in COPD patients.24 In addition, among subjects with COPD, those with chronic mucus hypersecretion (chronic bronchitis phenotype) present worse quality of life symptoms and mental well-being than do those without chronic mucus hypersecretion.25

The important role of airway mucus hypersecretion in COPD should be fully recognized.26 Airway mucus hypersecretion, via chronic cough and expectoration, reduces airflow and exercise capacity and increases the risk of acute exacerbation, mortality, and poor prognosis in COPD patients.