Serious Cancer Symptoms You Need To Know (15+ Common Signs People Ignore)
Throughout the world, cancer is the second leading cause of death. Surprisingly, 30% to 50% of cases are preventable. If you can spot the signs early, treatment will become smoother. However, many people don't visit the doctor for their early symptoms. According to a 2016 study, most lung cancer patients waited for 12 months before seeing a professional.
Some early symptoms may seem minor or even go unnoticed. So when should you visit the doctor? Learn which early cancer symptoms to look out for and when you should receive professional help.
Difficulty Swallowing
Difficulty swallowing is called dysphagia, and it's a common symptom of those who have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). In extreme cases, it's also a sign of esophageal cancer.
If you haven't been diagnosed with GERD or another digestive disorder that causes chronic heartburn, the doctor may check for those first. Esophageal cancer is often caused by substance abuse and stomach disorders. People with these conditions may want to see a doctor.
Loss Of Appetite
According to the National Cancer Institute, severe appetite changes could be a sign of cancer. In many cases, patients in the late stages of the disease experience a loss of appetite because of chemotherapy.
As an early sign of cancer, appetite loss could result from stomach, colon, or ovarian cancers putting pressure on your stomach.
Abnormally Intense Headaches That Don't Get Better
Most headaches go away after taking pain medication or a nap, but cancer-related headaches aren't easy to shake. According to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, cancerous headaches are usually a dull or harsh throb that don't develop into a migraine. In the case of brain cancer, headaches often begin in the morning and improve throughout the day.
Cancer-related headaches often accompany other symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, light sensitivity, dizziness, and difficulty moving or speaking. Cancer.net explains that these symptoms could arise from cancer of the nose, brain, and throat.
Wounds Don't Heal
When wounds don't heal or scab over for weeks or months, they're called chronic wounds. These pose many risks, including infection. But if your injury continues to scab (or not scab) over three months with no noticeable healing, you need to see a doctor, says Christi Cavaliere, the Cleveland Clinic Wound Healing Medical Director.
Cancer Research UK reports that chronic wounds are common symptoms of skin cancer. But according to Dr. Cavaliere, they are more likely the result of pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, or diabetic ulcers. Still, you'll want to see a doctor for help.
Muscle Weakness
Muscle weakness differs from fatigue in that it may only appear after exercise. In cancer patients, muscle weakness could come from chemo. According to Cancer.net, muscle weariness and pain can result from a tumor growing on a muscle or possibly touching muscles.
If muscle weakness only gets worse over time, you may want to get a professional's opinion.
Unexplained Weight Loss
According to WebMD, two out of five cancer patients lose a significant amount of weight. While this usually stems from chemotherapy, patients can also lose weight in the early stages of cancer.
If you lose over 5% of your body weight over six months (without a change of diet or exercise), you may want to consult a doctor.
Lumps In The Neck (Even Without Pain)
Lumps in the neck usually form when lymph nodes swell as they fight off infection. As an early sign of cancer, lumps can appear around the lymph nodes and the throat. T
If you have an unusual lump on your neck with no apparent cause, you may want to visit a doctor. However, they could also indicate a viral or bacterial infection.
Having An Overactive Bladder
Overactive bladders, called OABs, may become apparent with age. But sudden, unexplainable OAB may be a sign of colon cancer. U.S. Pharmacist warns patients about "dry" OAB, in which nothing comes out despite the urge, and "wet" OAB in which urine does come out. If symptoms interrupt your daily life, talk to a professional.
If you can't distinguish between natural and cancerous OAB, ask your doctor. Cancerous OAB usually accompanies blood, straining, and pain as well.
Fever That Doesn't Disappear
In most cases, fevers usually last between two to three days. Temperatures over 100°F often go down within this time.
But if a fever continues to rise and fall over several days, it could be an early sign of cancer. Cancer Research UK claims that kidney, liver, ovarian, and lymphoma cancers may cause a persistent fever.
Night Sweats
When people sweat so much during the night that they wake up in wet sheets, they suffer from night sweats. This symptom is common in cancer survivors, women undergoing menopause, and different types of cancer. Researchers don't know why night sweats happen with certain cancers, although some suspect that it could be the body fighting off the infection.
According to the National Cancer Institute, night sweats can arise during leukemia, lymphoma, liver cancer, and bone cancer. The symptom could also stem from hormonal imbalances in both men and women, which may also require medication.
A Cough That You Can't Shake
Cold and fever patients can continue to cough weeks after their main symptoms subsided. But those with a chronic cough--which lasts for over eight weeks--may want to see a professional. Chronic coughs may be an early sign of lung cancer, which is most treatable in the early stages, according to Cancer.net.
Dr. Lynne Eldridge of Very Well Health adds the cancerous coughs usually appear alongside other symptoms. Shortness of breath, coughing up blood, unexplained weight loss, and chest pain may indicate cancer. If your cough seems unusually long or severe, consult a doctor.
Change In Stool Habits
Our stools and bowel movements frequently change with our diets. But if these changes last for an unusually long time, says the American Cancer Society, they could be a sign of a more severe disease. These changes include diarrhea, constipation, and consistency of your stool.
Changes in stool may indicate colon cancer if it accompanies abdominal pain, bleeding, fatigue, and weight loss.
Excessive Hair Growth
Hirsutism is a condition in which hair grows excessively, even where it isn't supposed to. In women, hirsutism results in dark, thick hair on the face, chest, abdomen, or back. It is often caused by hormonal shifts, mainly the secretion of the male hormone, androgens. Hence, hirsutism could be a sign of adrenal cancer, according to Cleveland Clinic.
During adrenal cancer, tumors rest on the adrenal glands near the kidneys. If cancer is the cause, excessive hair loss may accompany weight shifts, weakness, high blood pressure, or depression. Otherwise, it could stem from another hormonal imbalance.
Abnormal Back Pain
If back pain prevents feeling and walking, it could result from spinal cancer. Patients with kidney, lung, prostate, or breast cancer have the highest risk.
The back pain often accompanies numbness in the arms or legs, and it sometimes results in difficulty controlling bladder functions.
Mouth Wounds That Won't Heal
Many people get mouth sores or ulcers from irritation. Because the skin in the mouth renews every two weeks, these injuries usually heal quickly. If they don't heal after three weeks, beware. This could result in a larger illness, such as oral cancer, says Cancer Research UK.
The American Cancer Society adds that people should watch out for gums that look red, shiny, or swollen. This is usually a sign of the mouth fighting off an infection. If redness or sores don't get better beyond 48 hours, you may want to see a doctor.
Abdominal Pain And Swelling
Stomach pain can happen for many reasons and is often hard to diagnose. However, a specific kind of stomach pain may indicate stomach cancer.
According to the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, stomach cancer pain usually occurs above the navel. Stomach swelling usually happens alongside the pain.
Bone Pain
Bone pain usually occurs as a dull ache in the pelvis, ribs, legs, or arm regions. It is one of the first signs of metastatic cancer, according to Texas Oncology. At first, it may occur only at night or during exercise. Over time, joint pain may become worse.
Consult a doctor if you're concerned.
Numbness And Tingling
Many people know the feeling of a limb "falling asleep" when the lack of blood flow causes a numb and tingling sensation. Sometimes, numbness results from neuropathy, or nerve damage, that's a side effect of chemotherapy. It could also stem from blood, spinal, prostate, and lung cancers.
According to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, only 10% to 20% of cancer patients experience numbness. This numbness or tingling persists without an obvious cause, says the American Cancer Society. If a numb or tingling sensation doesn't seem to stop, consult a professional.
Dizziness
As a symptom, dizziness is a catch-all term for feeling lightheaded, off-balance, or vertigo. Occasional dizziness can result from medications, respiratory issues, or stress. In extreme cases, a tumor in the brain can also prompt lightheadedness, says Cancer.net.
According to UPMC Health Beat, cancerous dizziness usually happens alongside other symptoms. Fever, chest pain, muscle stiffness, or feeling unable to walk are signs that the vertigo feeling may be serious. Dizziness that lasts over a couple of days may also suggest that something is wrong.
Pain In Your Side That Doesn't Disappear
Side pain differs from stomach pain in that it feels more like an ache and less like nausea. Persistent side pain that spreads to your abdomen or back may be an early sign of kidney or pancreatic cancer, according to the Urology Care Foundation. This pain may stay near the upper back and fade in and out.
If stomach swelling, fever, dizziness, sweating, unusual stool, or nausea occur with side pain, it's time to visit a professional.
High Calcium Levels
According to UCLA Health, cancer is the second most likely cause of high calcium in the blood (the first being hyperparathyroidism. Mouth, breast, kidney, blood, and cervical cancers may cause calcium over-production. Some people may not notice symptoms of high calcium and will learn through a blood test.
According to the Canadian Cancer Society, symptoms of high calcium include nausea, vomiting, confusion, dark urine, and intense thirst. Take regular blood tests to ensure that you're in the clear, and remember that there are several potential causes for high calcium.
