Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, cancer screenings went down by almost 14% worldwide and still have to pick up – even after we have gone back to the new “normal”! Though every disease should be tackled early – cancer is one particular disease where the earlier screening – the better treatment options and the better chance of resuming life! Cancer has several risk factors, but the problem is that it coincides with lots of other diseases. Same goes for the symptoms.
Oncologists, all over the world have come together to urge people to get their screening done as soon as they have a doubt. But, in order to schedule a screening – you first need to understand and learn the symptoms to look out for. This is what we’ll talk about in this article!
Common symptoms to look out for!
Cancer can generate a variety of symptoms, but these are more commonly caused by illness, injury, benign tumours, or other issues. If your symptoms do not improve after a few weeks, consult your doctor so that problems can be identified and treated as soon as possible. Cancer does not always cause pain, so don’t wait until you’re in discomfort to see a doctor.
However, it’s important to note that not all of these signs and symptoms indicate cancer. A variety of common disorders can cause you to feel this way. It is vital that you see your doctor so that they can check your health and take the necessary steps. Cancer symptoms that are common in both men and women include:
- Pain: Bone cancer is frequently painful from the start. Some brain tumors induce days-long headaches that do not improve with treatment. Pain can also be a late indicator of cancer, so consult a doctor if you’re not sure what’s causing it or if it doesn’t go away.
- Weight loss without effort: Almost 50% of cancer patients lose weight. It’s frequently one of the first signs people notice.
- Fatigue: Inform your doctor if you are constantly fatigued and resting does not help. Leukemia frequently exhausts you, and you may experience blood loss as a result of colon or stomach cancer. Cancer-related weight loss may also cause fatigue.
- Fever: Call your doctor if it is severe or lasts more than three days. Some blood cancers, such as lymphoma, generate a fever that lasts for days or even weeks.
- Skin modifications: In order to rule out skin cancer, have your doctor examine any strange or new moles, bumps, or marks on your body. Other types of cancer can also be detected through your skin. It could be an indication of liver, ovarian, or kidney cancer or lymphoma if it has darkened, appears yellow or red, itches, or sprouts more hair, or if you have an inexplicable rash.
- Non-healing wounds: Spots that bleed and refuse to go away are also indicators of skin cancer. Sores in the mouth may be the first sign of oral cancer. You are at a higher risk if you smoke, chew tobacco, or consume a lot of alcohol.
- Coughing or persistent hoarseness: Coughing is one of the symptoms of lung cancer, and hoarseness could indicate cancer of the voice box (larynx) or thyroid gland.
- Unusual bruising: Cancer can cause blood to appear in places it shouldn’t. Blood in the faeces is a sign of colon or rectal cancer. Tumors in the urinary system can also cause blood in the urine.
- Anemia: This occurs when your body lacks sufficient red blood cells, which are produced in your bone marrow. Cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma can harm your bone marrow. Tumors that have spread from other areas of the body may crowd out regular red blood cells. The above symptoms are something that can be an indication of any other disease too, but as the saying goes “Better to be safe than sorry”
People at High Risk
Cancer is a type of mutation caused by the DNA in the cell. Inside a cell, DNA is packaged into many distinct genes, each of which has a set of instructions informing the cell about which functions to perform as well as how to grow and divide. Errors in the instructions can lead the cell to stop functioning normally and even cause it to become cancerous.
Uncontrollable Factors
Though everyone is at risk, some people are more prone to developing this mutation as opposed to others. It’s especially crucial to keep an eye out for cancer symptoms if:
- You have a chronic disease that puts you at a higher risk of developing cancer.
- Two or more of your close relatives (such as parents, siblings, aunt/uncles, and grandparents) have been diagnosed with cancer. Family history can play a huge role in the early diagnosis of cancer.
- Genetics inherited cancer syndromes like Lynch syndrome or inherited mutations.
- System dysfunction, including autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, as well as hereditary immune disorders.
- Certain medications, such as methotrexate or TNF inhibitors, hormone replacement treatment, or immunosuppressive pharmaceuticals.
The above are the symptoms you have no control over. They are uncontrollable; hence one must be cautious especially if you fall in any of the above categories.
Controllable Factors
Scientists have discovered a variety of common cancer risk factors and suspected causes through decades of cancer study. Many of these are lifestyle choices that can be altered to lessen risk. The following are some of the most frequent controllable cancer risk factors:
- Tobacco use or secondhand tobacco smoke exposure
- Alcohol consumption is high (more than a glass a day for women or more than two glasses a day for men)
- insufficient physical activity
- Obesity
- Unhealthy eating habits, such as a diet high in meat, fat, and/or processed foods
- Sunlight or other UV light exposure (such as from tanning beds)
While doctors have a good knowledge of what variables may increase your risk of cancer, the vast majority of malignancies arise in persons who have no known risk factors.
Always pay attention to your body, make sure to schedule a screening, and consult your doctor if you notice any of the symptoms listed in the above article.