Cancer symptoms and signs are really well documented. They highlight that there is a possibility that something is wrong and whenever you see those that are mentioned below, you should go get checked out. Many cancer symptoms are not necessarily associated with this disease and you may be suffering from something else. However, it is always better to be safe so here is what you have to know about cancer symptoms. Remember that having the following symptoms does not necessarily mean that you have cancer.
General Cancer Symptoms:
- Unexplained Weight Loss – Most of those suffering from cancer end up losing weight. Whenever you lose weight without any visible reason, it is referred to as unexplained weight loss. If you lose more than 10 pounds without any sign, it can be an early first sign of cancer.
- Fever – a really common cancer sign that appears as cancer spreads out. Fever almost always appears with cancer treatments and it is rare that it is an early disease sign.
- Fatigue – when you are constantly tired and you do not know why, it can be due to cancer. This is a symptom that becomes increasingly common as the disease grows.
- Pain – Pain is sometimes an early symptom of some cancers like testicular or bone cancers. A headache that simply does not appear can be a brain tumor symptom and back pain can be a sign of ovary, rectum or colon cancers.
- Skin alterations – Not only skin cancer can cause skin alterations. The various skin changes that you should be on the lookout for include yellowish eyes and skin, itching, reddened skin, darker looking skin and excessive hair growth.
Cancer Symptoms Associated With Certain Cancers
Besides the general cancer symptoms mentioned above,t her are also some specific signs and symptoms that are associated with some specific cancer types. Just as with the others, some may also be associated with other conditions so you need to go to the doctor. Look out for the following:
- Bladder Function Or Bowel Habits Changes – this can be a sign that you have colon cancer. Pain noticed when passing urine or urine blood are sometimes connected to prostrate or bladder cancer.
- Non-healing sores – skin cancer will lead towards sores that will not heal. Oral cancer is associated with a mouth sore that is non-healing and penis or vagina sores can be signs of early cancer infection.
- White patches on tongue or inside mouths – this may be caused by leukoplakia, which is a pre-cancerous area that would be caused by having frequent irritation. If this is not treated, you can end up faced with mouth cancer.
- Unusual discharge or bleeding – this can appear during advanced or early cancer. You may have lung cancer if your phlegm shows blood and if you notice blood in stools, it can be an early sign of rectal or colon cancer. Vaginal bleedings appear with endometrium or cervix cancers. Urine blood presence can be a sign of kidney or bladder cancer.
- Lumps Or Thickening – many cancer types can be felt through your skin. The most common ones are testicle, breast and soft tissue cancers. When you see a thickening or a lump, you need to go to the doctor as soon as possible. That is especially true in the event you see that it grows in size.
- Having trouble swallowing – such symptoms are sometimes associated with esophagus, pharynx or stomach cancers. However, in most situations the cause is not cancer.
Make sure that you consider the cancer symptoms mentioned above but whenever you feel that something is wrong with your body, go to the doctor for a check-up. You never know what may be wrong. The good news is that in most cases people do not have cancer when they have the cancer symptoms above.