Cancer can affect various tissues in the body, causing a range of signs and symptoms, such as weight loss, fatigue, skin changes, and a persistent cough. Anyone who experiences persistent or worrisome symptoms should consult a doctor.
According to the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cancer was the second leading cause of death
in the United States in 2016.
Healthcare providers can
run diagnostic tests that identify early-stage cancers. Treatment has a better
chance of success when a person receives their cancer diagnosis early.
In this article, we
discuss general warning signs of cancer unique to women, men, and cancer type.
Warning signs of
cancer in women
Cancers specific to or
more common among women include endometrial, cervical, and breast cancers. Warning signs
include:
Breast changes
Breast cancer often
causes visible changes in the breast tissue, so it is crucial for women to be familiar
with the shape, size, and texture of their breasts.
Breast changes to look out for include:
- dimpling
or puckering of the breast skin or nipple
- nipple
discharge
- redness,
swelling, or tenderness of the breast skin or nipple
- changes in the size or shape of the breast
Women should speak with a healthcare provider if they
notice any changes in their breast tissue. The American Cancer Society
recommend that women aged 40 years and older have regular mammograms to screen
for signs of breast cancer.
Vaginal bleeding between periods
Women who experience
regular periods may want to consult their healthcare provider if they
experience vaginal bleeding or spotting outside of their usual cycle. Irregular
vaginal bleeding may indicate endometrial or cervical cancers.
Women who have gone
through menopause should
seek immediate medical attention if they have any vaginal bleeding.
Spotting does not always
occur as a result of cancer. Hormonal birth control, chronic
medical conditions, and stress can also cause
spotting.
Women should consider
seeking immediate medical attention if they experience spotting alongside the
following symptoms:
Warning
signs of cancer in men
Certain warning signs of
cancer occur exclusively or more frequently in men than women. These can
include:
Testicular lumps
Although testicular cancer in men
is rare, rates of new diagnoses continue increasing around the world. The
American Cancer Society estimates roughly 9,560 people in the U.S. will receive a testicular
cancer diagnosis in 2019.
A hard, painless lump in
the testicle is a symptom of testicular cancer. Other symptoms of testicular
cancer include:
- swelling
or pain in a testicle or scrotum
- a
feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
- pain
in the groin
- a dull ache in the lower back or abdomen
Bowel
changes
A persistent change in
bowel habits can indicate cancers of the colon or rectum, which people
collectively refer to as colorectal cancers.
Colorectal cancer can
cause frequent diarrhea or constipation and persistent
abdominal pain. Other symptoms include:
- thin
stools
- unintentional
weight loss
- fatigue
- anemia
- excess gas or bloating
Rectal bleeding
Colorectal cancers can
cause bleeding in the digestive tract. Stools may contain visible blood or
appear darker than usual.
Having rectal bleeding
or bloody stools does not necessarily mean a person has cancer. Hemorrhoids,
ulcers, and other gastrointestinal disorders can all cause bleeding.
However, men should not
ignore this symptom and should see a doctor immediately, as it may signify a
serious medical problem.
Urinary changes
Changes in urinary
habits is a symptom of both prostate and bladder cancers.
Both forms of cancer can
impact the urinary tract and cause the following symptoms:
- difficulty
initiating urination
- difficulty
emptying the bladder
- frequently
feeling the need to empty the bladder
- incontinence or
involuntary urination
- blood in the urine
Prostate and bladder cancers are among the most common types of
cancer among men in the U.S.
The following sections
look at the warning signs specific to different cancers.
Skin cancer
Skin cancer is the most
common type of cancer in the U.S.
There are two types of
skin cancers — nonmelanoma and melanoma. According to the
National Cancer Institute, 1,195,608
people in the U.S. were living with skin melanoma in 2016.
Skin cancer can develop
on any part of the skin, but it often appears in areas that have had exposure
to the sun, such as the face, neck, arms, and hands.
The main types of skin
cancer include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma,
and melanoma. Although less common, melanoma is generally more dangerous than
nonmelanoma skin cancers.
A basal cell carcinoma
typically looks like a shiny, yellow lump or a bleeding sore that heals and
reopens.
A squamous cell
carcinoma can appear as either a firm, red bump or a flat, scaly lesion.
Melanoma can develop on
regular skin or inside an existing mole. Signs of melanoma include:
- a
mole that changes in color or size
- an
irregularly shaped lesion that appears red, pink, white, dark blue
- a large brown spot with darker colored speckles
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is the
most common form of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among
women, according to the National
Breast Cancer Foundation.
According to the
American Cancer Society, women in the U.S have about a 12% chance of developing breast cancer in their
lifetime.
Besides the appearance
of a painless lump in the breast tissue, warning signs of breast cancer
include:
- changes
to the texture of the skin, such as dimpling or scaling
- unusual
nipple discharge
- redness, swelling, or pain in the breast or nipple
Lung cancer
Lung cancer does not always produce
noticeable symptoms in the early stages. If symptoms do appear, people can
mistake them for acute respiratory infections or a cold.
Warning signs of lung
cancer include:
- a
persistent cough that can worsen over time
- frequent
respiratory infections, such as pneumonia or bronchitis
- hoarseness
or other changes to a person’s voice
- shortness
of breath or wheezing
- unexplained
weight loss
- headaches
- appetite loss
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer does not
usually produce early warning signs. In some cases, prostate cancer can produce
non-specific symptoms, such as:
- frequent
or painful urination
- incontinence
- difficult
or painful ejaculation
- blood
in the urine or semen
- pressure
or pain near the rectum
- stiffness or pain in the lower back, abdomen, pelvis, or thighs
Liver cancer
Liver cancer produces symptoms
that usually have links with gastrointestinal or digestive problems. The
appearance of jaundice, which causes
yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, might be an indication of
liver damage.
Other warning signs of
liver cancer include:
- fatigue
- itchy
skin
- pain
or swelling in the abdomen
- loss
of appetite
- unintentional
weight loss
- nausea
- vomiting
Leukemia
Leukemia is a form of cancer that
affects the blood and bone marrow — the
spongy tissue responsible for producing new blood cells.
The signs and symptoms
of leukemia vary between people, but they can include:
- chronic
fatigue
- fever
- chills
- nausea
- bone
pain
- developing
frequent infections
- reduced
blood clotting
- difficulty
breathing
- unintentional
weight loss
- feeling
full after eating very little food
- headache
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma develops in the lymph
nodes and lymphatic tissue that is present inside the stomach, intestines, or
skin.
Swelling in one or more
lymph nodes is the most common early sign of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This form of
cancer can start in other sites, such as the gastrointestinal tract, bones, or
skin.
Symptoms of non-Hodgkin
lymphoma include:
- painless
swelling in the lymph nodes, typically in the armpit, neck, or groin
- fever
- chronic
fatigue
- persistent
cough
- chest
pain
- loss
of appetite
- unexplained
weight loss
- skin rashes
When to see a doctor
Early forms of cancer
may not cause noticeable symptoms. Several of the warning signs of cancer in
this article are non-specific symptoms that can have many other conditions as
the cause.
However, people should
not wait to get medical attention. Early diagnosis can lead to early, more
effective treatment.
The National Cancer Institute recommend that people see a
healthcare provider if symptoms last longer than 2 weeks.
People should speak with
a healthcare provider about any new or worsening symptoms, especially if they
have a family history of cancer or have certain factors that increase their risk
of cancer.
People should seek
immediate medical attention if symptoms interfere with their daily lives.
Summary
Cancer is the second
leading cause of death around the world.
Although early forms of
cancer do not always produce noticeable symptoms, knowing the warning signs of
cancer can help motivate people to seek medical care early. Common signs of
cancer include:
- chronic
fatigue
- bowel
changes
- unintentional
weight loss
- a
persistent cough
- bowel or urinary changes
Having these symptoms
does not necessarily mean a person has cancer. People should seek medical
attention if their symptoms last longer than 2 weeks.
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