Chinese man relieved to find actual reason behind two-year cough after cancer scare

A CT scan showed a mass about 1cm-long inside his right lung

Chinese hotpot (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A man in China, who had a persistent cough going back two years, was relieved to discover that the cause was not cancer but a piece of chili pepper lodged in his lung.

The 54-year-old man, identified only by his surname Xu, is from the Zhejiang province in eastern China. He had been self-medicating with over-the-counter drugs for his cough but saw no improvement, reported Chinese newspaper Dushi Kuaibao.

In June, he finally decided to head to the Thoracic Surgery Department at Zhejiang Hospital for a check up.

A CT scan showed a mass about 1cm-long inside his right lung, which raised concerns about him either having pneumonia or a malignant tumour. Further investigation also revealed enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes (the central compartment of the chest between the lungs), intensifying Mr Xu’s fear of lung cancer.

On 3 July, Mr Xu underwent surgery to remove a part of his lung tissue through a thoracoscopy so they could test it to confirm cancer.

However, doctors were astonished to discover a foreign object – the tip of a chili pepper.

Mr Xu then recalled choking and coughing severely during a hotpot meal two years ago, possibly inhaling the pepper.

Zhu Xinhai, Director of the Thoracic Surgery Department, explained that the chili pepper had likely travelled into Xu’s lung through his airway, pushed along by the choking. The chili pepper caused an enlarged lymph node in his right lung and was “hidden” under the tissue, making it difficult to detect through a standard examination.

Because the pepper was embedded in his bronchial tubes for a long time, he had developed a lung infection that led to his chronic coughing.

Ye Jian, director of the respiratory medicine department, noted that it’s not uncommon to find foreign objects in patients, including animal bones, earrings, and even dentures.

Mr Xu’s story quickly became a sensation on Chinese social media, with one user remarking: “It’s really impressive that he was able to endure the coughing for two years before going to hospital. He’s truly a master.”