Warning Signs of Cancer that People too Often Ignore
Cancer is the second most leading cause of death after Heart Diseases.
There is more than 200 type of cancer. But the most common cancers include lung, breast, pancreatic, Kidney cancer, leukemia, Thyroid cancer, and bladder cancer.
But knowing the signs & symptoms in early stages can cure the significant percentage of cancer. Often cancer has no specific symptoms but it’s important to undergo cancer screening if you feel these warning signs.
1. New lumps or swelling: If you see a lump or growth in the skin including neck, armpits, stomach pain, chest, breast or elsewhere in your body, you should not ignore it, including wounds that don’t heal for weeks. Consult your doctor.
2. Wheezing or Shortness of breath: It’s not unusual to feel shortness of breath every now and then. But if you notice shortness of breath more than usual or for a lot of the time, consult your doctor. And also regular chest pain may be the sign of the severe condition.
3. Persistent cough/hoarseness or coughing up blood: Usually these are caused because of infection in bronchitis, but these could be the symptoms of cancer of the lung, Head & Neck. Anyone who is suffering from constant coughing/ cough that lasts more than a month should consult the doctor immediately.
4. Change in Bowel Habits:
Consult your physician if you experience these below changes that lasted more than a few weeks.
1. Blood in your stools.
2. Persistent bloating.
3. Pain in Stomach/ abdomen or back passage.
4. Continuous Constipation / Diarrhea for no obvious reason.
5. Discomfort after eating.
6. Difficulty in swallowing.
5. Bleeding:
Consult your Doctor if you have any unexplained bleeding such as:
1. Blood in your urine.
2. Blood During Vomiting
3. Blood when you a cough.
4. Blood in Stool
5. Bruising.
6. Moles: A new mole or existing mole that changes its shape or size and sometimes with bleeding or bruise that does not heal. Then Consult your doctor.
7. Unexplained weight gain or loss: If you are maintaining normal weight and suddenly you put on weight and if it continues month to month then you should consult the doctor. And unexplained weight loss suddenly is also one of the first sign of cancer.
8. Fatigue or Extreme Tiredness: If you are feeling extreme tiredness even after taking enough rest then you should go for the checkup. If you are facing unusual trouble in swallowing and losing weight then you should consult the doctor.
9. Skin changes and itchy skin: If you find sores in the mouth or elsewhere in the body, that doesn’t heal even after many days, and irritated skin on any parts of the body, then consult your doctor right away.
10. Changes in mouth: If you chew tobacco or smoke, then you have the higher risk of mouth cancer. So if you find any white or red patch on your mouth, tongue, throat or lips consult the doctor.
11. Breast changes: If you find any lump in your breast, consult your doctor. Many of the times men tend to ignore lumps in the breast. But keep in mind that at least 1% breast cancer occurs in men.
12. Frequent Fever: Fever is the common symptom of cancer. But many of the time fever starts once the cancer treatment affects the patient’s immune system. Many times fever is also the symptom of leukemia or lymphoma.
13. Aches & Pain: Pain is an early symptom of many cancers like bone cancer. Other types of pain include back pain, and sudden headache that doesn’t go for many days could be a symptom of brain tumor. Many of the time pain may be a sign of cancer that has already started spreading.
14. Changes in nails: Unusual changes in fingernails indicate several types of cancer. The changes in fingernails include black or brown spots, clubbing of fingers or toes, indicate many types of cancer including skin, lung, and liver cancer.