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Signs and Symptoms of Cancer What are signs and symptoms?
Signs and symptoms are both signals of injury, illness,
disease – signals that something is not right in the body. Having one sign or symptom may not be enough to figure out
what’s causing it. For example, a rash in a child could be a sign of a number
of things, such as poison ivy, measles, a skin infection, or a food allergy.
But if the child has the rash along with other signs and symptoms like a high
fever, chills, achiness, and a sore throat, then a doctor can get a better
picture of the illness. Sometimes, a patient’s signs and symptoms still don’t
give the doctor enough clues to be sure what’s causing the illness, then
further medical intervention such as x-rays, blood tests, or a biopsy may be
needed.
How does cancer cause signs and symptoms?
Cancer is a group of diseases that can cause almost any sign
or symptom. The signs and symptoms will depend on where the cancer is, how big
it is, and how much it affects the organs or tissues. If a cancer has spread
(metastasized), signs or symptoms may appear in different parts of the body.
As a cancer grows, it can begin to push on nearby organs,
blood vessels, and nerves. This pressure causes some of the signs and symptoms
of cancer. If the cancer is in a critical area, such as certain parts of the
brain, even the smallest tumor can cause symptoms.
But sometimes cancer starts in places where it won’t cause
any signs or symptoms until it has grown quite large. Cancers of the pancreas,
for example, usually don’t cause symptoms until they grow large enough to press
on nearby nerves or organs (this causes back or belly pain). Others may grow
around the bile duct and block the flow of bile. This causes the eyes and skin
to look yellow (jaundice). By the time a pancreatic cancer causes signs or
symptoms like these, it’s usually in an advanced stage. This means it has grown
and spread beyond the place it started – the pancreas.
A cancer may also cause symptoms like fever, extreme
tiredness (fatigue), or weight loss. This may be because cancer cells use up
much of the body’s energy supply, or they may release substances that change
the way the body makes energy from food. Cancer can also cause the immune
system to react in ways that produce these signs and symptoms.
Sometimes, cancer cells release substances into the
bloodstream that cause symptoms that are not usually linked to cancer. For
example, some cancers of the pancreas can release substances that cause blood
clots in veins of the legs. Some lung cancers make hormone-like substances that
raise blood calcium levels. This affects nerves and muscles, making the person
feel weak and dizzy.
How are signs and symptoms helpful?
Treatment works best when cancer is found early – while it’s
still small and is less likely to have spread to other parts of the body. This
often means a better chance for a cure, especially if the cancer can be removed
with surgery.
A good example of the importance of finding cancer early is
melanoma skin cancer. It can be easy to remove if it has not grown deep into
the skin. The 5-year survival rate (percentage of people who live at least 5
years after diagnosis) at this early stage is around 98%. Once melanoma has
spread to other parts of the body, the 5-year survival rate drops to about 16%.
Sometimes people ignore symptoms. Maybe they don’t know that
the symptoms could mean something is wrong. Or they might be frightened by what
the symptoms could mean and don’t want to get medical help. Maybe they just
can’t afford to get medical care.
Some symptoms, such as tiredness or coughing, are more
likely caused by something other than cancer. Symptoms can seem unimportant,
especially if there’s a clear cause or the problem only lasts a short time. In
the same way, a person may reason that a symptom like a breast lump is probably
a cyst that will go away by itself. But no symptom should be ignored or
overlooked, especially if it has lasted a long time or is getting worse.
Most likely, symptoms are not caused by cancer, but it’s
important to have them checked out, just in case. If cancer is not the cause, a
doctor can help figure out what the cause is and treat it, if needed.
What are some general signs and symptoms of cancer?
You should know some of the general signs and symptoms of
cancer. But remember, having any of these does not mean that you have cancer –
many other things cause these signs and symptoms, too. If you have any of these
symptoms and they last for a long time or get worse, please see a doctor to
find out what’s going on.
1 - Unexplained weight loss
Most people with cancer will lose weight at some point. When
you lose weight for no known reason, it’s called an unexplained weight loss. An
unexplained weight loss of 10 pounds or more may be the first sign of cancer.
This happens most often with cancers of the pancreas, stomach, esophagus (swallowing tube), or lung
2 - Fever
Fever is very common with cancer, but it more often happens
after cancer has spread from where it started. Almost all people with cancer
will have fever at some time, especially if the cancer or its treatment affects
the immune system. (This can make it harder for the body to fight infection.)
Less often, fever may be an early sign of cancer, such as blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma.
3 - Fatigue
Fatigue is extreme tiredness that doesn’t get better with
rest. It may be an important symptom as cancer grows. But it may happen early
in some cancers, like leukemia. Some colon or stomach cancers can cause blood
loss that’s not obvious. This is another way cancer can cause fatigue.
4 - Pain
Pain may be an early symptom with some cancers like bone
cancers or testicular cancer. A headache that does not go away or get better
with treatment may be a symptom of a brain tumor. Back pain can be a symptom
of cancer of the colon, rectum, or ovary. Most often, pain due to cancer means
it has already spread (metastasized) from where it started.
5 - Skin changes
Along with skin cancers, some other cancers can cause skin
changes that can be seen. These signs and symptoms include:
Darker looking skin (hyperpigmentation)
Yellowish skin and eyes (jaundice)
Reddened skin (erythema)
Itching (pruritis)
Excessive hair growth
Signs and symptoms of certain cancers
Along with the general symptoms, you should watch for
certain other common signs and symptoms that could suggest cancer. Again, there
may be other causes for each of these, but it’s important to see a doctor about
them as soon as possible – especially if there’s no other cause you can
identify, the problem lasts a long time, or it gets worse over time.
6 - Change in bowel habits or bladder function
Long-term constipation, diarrhea, or a change in the size
of the stool may be a sign of colon cancer. Pain when passing urine, blood in
the urine, or a change in bladder function (such as needing to pass urine more
or less often than usual) could be related to bladder or prostate cancer.
Report any changes in bladder or bowel function to a doctor.
7 - Sores that do not heal
Skin cancers may bleed and look like sores that don’t heal.
A long-lasting sore in the mouth could be an oral cancer. This should be dealt
with right away, especially in people who smoke, chew tobacco, or often drink
alcohol. Sores on the penis or vagina may either be signs of infection or an
early cancer, and should be seen by a health professional.
8 - White patches inside the mouth or white spots on the
tongue
White patches inside the mouth and white spots on the tongue
may be leukoplakia. Leukoplakia is a pre-cancerous area that’s caused by
frequent irritation. It’s often caused by smoking or other tobacco use. People
who smoke pipes or use oral or spit tobacco are at high risk for leukoplakia.
If it’s not treated, leukoplakia can become mouth cancer. Any long-lasting
mouth changes should be checked by a doctor or dentist right away.
9 - Unusual bleeding or discharge
Unusual bleeding can happen in early or advanced cancer.
Coughing up blood may be a sign of lung cancer. Blood in the stool (which can
look like very dark or black stool) could be a sign of colon or rectal cancer.
Cancer of the cervix or the endometrium (lining of the uterus) can cause
abnormal vaginal bleeding. Blood in the urine may be a sign of bladder or
kidney cancer. A bloody discharge from the nipple may be a sign of breast
cancer.
10 - Thickening or lump in the breast or other parts of the
body
Many cancers can be felt through the skin. These cancers
occur mostly in the breast, testicle, lymph nodes (glands), and the soft
tissues of the body. A lump or thickening may be an early or late sign of
cancer and should be reported to a doctor, especially if you’ve just found it
or notice it has grown in size. Keep in mind that some breast cancers show up
as red or thickened skin rather than a lump.
11 - Recent change in a wart or mole or any new skin change
Any wart, mole, or freckle that changes colour, size, or
shape, or that loses its sharp border should be seen by a doctor right away.
Any other skin changes should be reported, too. A skin change may be a melanoma
which, if found early, can be treated successfully. See pictures of skin
cancers and other skin conditions in our Skin Cancer Image Gallery.
12 - Persistent cough or hoarseness
A cough that does not go away may be a sign of lung cancer.
Hoarseness can be a sign of cancer of the larynx (voice box) or thyroid gland.
This can be coupled with
Other symptoms
The signs and symptoms listed above are the more common ones
seen with cancer, but there are many others that are not listed here. If you
notice any major changes in the way your body works or the way you feel –
especially if it lasts for a long time or gets worse – let a doctor know. If it
has nothing to do with cancer, the doctor can find out more about what’s going
on and, if needed, treat it. If it is cancer, you’ll give yourself the chance
to have it treated early, when treatment works best.
If you have found this article to be useful, please share it with your family and friends. Lets use this information to help fight cancer together, because together WE ARE STRONG.
Article source - Cancer.Org
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Saturday, June 13, 2015
12 Warning Signs Of Cancer - PLEASE READ.
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4 comments:
Very informative glad I took the time to read it. Everyone should be aware of these symptoms.
Very informative glad I took the time to read it. Everyone should be aware of these symptoms.
Extremely educational and will share it. Thanks.
I had none of these symptoms as I had surgery 5 days after youngest daughter was born & 3 others home. 9 months of chemo & they said a blood vessel broke when she was born. Just didn't gain the weight as fast.
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