Cancer alert: If these 10 symptoms last more than a few weeks, it is advisable to get checked
Cancer can be sneaky, showing up with symptoms so subtle they’re easy to ignore
Finding
cancer early makes it much more likely that treatment will work. There
are early signs of cancer that are easy to spot if you know what to look
for, even though cancer symptoms
can be very different. If any of these last for more than a few weeks,
don't wait, go see a doctor. Here, Dr. Tejinder Kataria, Chairperson of
Radiation Oncology at Medanta – The Medicity, breaks down 10 early
signs of cancer you shouldn't ignore.
Unexplained weight loss
If you lose 10 pounds or more without trying, it could be a sign of cancers like stomach, esophagus, lung, or pancreas. Always check for other causes, but if you keep losing weight, you should see a doctor.
Persistent fatigue
Feeling
very tired, even after getting some rest, can be a sign of many types
of cancer, including blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma. Get
checked out if you are tired for no reason and it is affecting your
daily life.
New or changing lumps
A
new lump or swelling in the neck, armpit, or groin could be a sign of
an infection or inflammation, but it could also be a sign of abnormal
cell growth. It could be a sign of something more serious, like breast,
testicular, or lymph-related cancers, if it feels hard, gets bigger over
time, or doesn't go away. To figure out what's wrong, you need to keep
an eye on its size, shape, and tenderness.
Changes in skin or moles
Keep
an eye on your skin for new growths or moles that change shape, color,
or size or start to bleed or itch. The ABCDE rule is very important for
finding melanoma, asymmetry, border, color, diameter, and evolving.
Unusual bleeding or bruising
Seeing
blood in your urine, stool, vomit, or cough can be scary and could mean
you have bladder, colon, stomach, or lung cancer. Frequent nosebleeds
or unexplained bruises could also be signs of blood cancers.
Persistent cough or hoarseness
If
you have a cough that lasts longer than a few weeks, especially if it's
dry or brings up blood, it could be more than just an infection. It
could be a sign of lung, throat, or thyroid cancer. Tumors can cause
ongoing irritation and coughing when they affect the airways or the
tissues around them.
Difficulty swallowing or indigestion
If
you have trouble swallowing or have heartburn or indigestion that won't
go away, you may have cancer in your throat, esophagus, or stomach.
Changes in bathroom habits
Changes in bowel habits, like diarrhea that doesn't go away, constipation, or blood in the stool, or urinary problems, like pain or blood while urinating, can be early signs of cancer of the colon, bladder, or prostate. If these symptoms don't go away, they could mean that there is a problem with your digestive or urinary tract.
Persistent pain
Sometimes,
cancers in the bones, ovaries, pancreas, or other internal organs can
cause pain that doesn't go away in the belly, back, or joints. This pain
doesn't go away like other aches do. Instead, it may get worse over
time, which could mean that tumors are growing or putting pressure on
the body.
Night sweats, fevers, or frequent infections
If
you have low fevers, night sweats, or repeated infections that don't
have any other explanation, it could be a sign of cancers like lymphoma
or leukemia, which affect the immune system.
These signs don't
mean you have cancer for sure, but they are important signs that
something is wrong with your body. Detecting something early often gives
you more treatment options, less aggressive therapy, and much better
results.
Common forms of cancer
According to WHO report breast cancer is one of the most diagnosed cancer around the world, . Lung cancer is still the deadliest though, especially in places with a lot of smoking or pollution. Colon cancer’s also been showing up more, even in younger people. Prostate cancer hits older men the most, and stomach cancer, though less talked about, is still a problem in some Asian countries. What the WHO really pushes is early checkups, better food, and quitting tobacco. Those simple things, they say, can really lower your risk a lot.
Consult a doctor
If you notice these signs, it is important to talk to a doctor right away.