Cancer is a life-threatening disease that affects millions of people every year across the globe. The condition involves uncontrolled growth of malignant cells in the body forming tumours and invading adjacent parts of the body.
However, if detected early, there is always a high chance of curing the disease. Many clinicians and researchers believe that most types of cancers can either be prevented or the risk factors of developing it can be markedly reduced. For this, early detection of signs and symptoms is vital. Although every cancer has its specific signs and symptoms, there are some indications that are common to all and are associated with most forms of cancer.
Cancer Common Signs and Symptoms:
Significant Weight loss: Cancer patient usually tends to lose a lot of weight. Though their appetite seems to be normal, their weight loss is quite significant. In certain cases, loss of appetite is also noticed.
Pain: Usually pain occurs in the later stage of cancer when it spreads and start affecting the organs and nerves. However, in some forms of cancer like testicle and bone cancer, pain can be felt even in the early stages of the disease.
Easy fatigue: Patient with cancer usually tends to get tires very easily. Fatigue during cancer usually is chronic in nature and can last for weeks, months and even years. Cancer fatigue can be very different in the sense that the tiredness does not go away even when you rest. This fatigue is mainly due to anaemia, which is associated with most of the cancer forms.
Fever: Fever is more common when the cancer has already spread significantly or when the body immune system has been affected either by the cancer or by its medical interventions.
Changes in skin: Changes in the colour and texture of the skin or in the shape and colour of pre-existing mole have often been noticed in cancer patients. Apart from this, there are also cases where new skin lesions appear on the body of the patients.
Changes in bowel and bladder functions: Cancer patients often experience changes in their bladder and bowel function like constipation, diarrhoea, loose motion, blood on stool, pain during urination and blood while passing urine.
Shortness of breath: Difficulty in breathing due to stuffy nose and throat infection is seen in some cancer patients. Patients sometimes even need immediate medical attention as they start coughing and gasping for air. Such symptoms are commonly associated with throat, vocal cord and lung cancers.
Oral lesions: In a disease like Lenkoplakia, frequent irritations of gums, appearance of white patches inside the mouth and lesions on a tongue can occur. If not treated in time, this can even lead to mouth cancer.
Unusual bleeding or discharge: This can be seen in certain forms of cancer and can occur both in the early and later stage. Blood on sputum can be due to lung cancer and blood on stool could be due to colon or rectal cancer. In females, cancer of uterus can cause vaginal bleeding. Breast cancer, on the other hand, can cause bloody discharge from nipples. Blood in urine can be due to either bladder or kidney cancer.
Lump in breast or other body parts: One should always check for any usual lumps or boils in their breast as this could be a sign of breast cancer. Other than cancer, there could be many other reasons for this symptom. Periodic medical check-ups are the right choice to diagnose the real cause of it.
Apart from above mentioned signs and symptoms there are few other symptoms of cancer like- vomiting, frequent fungal or yeast infections, change in the color of eye, hoarseness of voice and indigestion or trouble swallowing. If you have any of the above signs and symptoms then it is advisable to consult a physician at the earliest.
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