Overview
Any symptom associated with cancer can also explain another condition, many of which are completely harmless. Regardless of severity, the onset of any symptom warrants in-depth evaluation.
Common Cancer Symptoms
Symptoms that may indicate cancer include:
- Blood in the Stool: Blood in the stool may indicate cancer, but more frequently indicates the presence of hemorrhoids or gastrointestinal ulcerations that are not related to cancer. Blood in the stool always warrants a visit to your doctor.
- Lumps in the Breast or Breast Discharge: Most lumps in the breasts are benign tumors or cysts (fluid filled sacs). All breast lumps necessitate a thorough evaluation.
- Mammograms can detect the presence of a lump, but they cannot be used to diagnose a cancer. Breast cancer diagnosis generally requires a biopsy.
- Some forms of breast discharge mar indicate breast cancer. If there is blood in the breast discharge, a visit to your doctor is recommended.
- Testicle Lumps: Approximately 90% of men with testicular cancer have a painless lump on the testicle. Swollen veins in the testicles and scrotum can also cause these lumps.
- Men should conduct monthly testicular self-examinations.
- Changes in Bowel Habits: If you notice a change in the size and color of your stools, you should see a doctor.
- Anorexia: Cancer is sometimes associated with the inability to ingest food.
- Vaginal Bleeding or Discharge: Unusual vaginal bleeding and bloody discharge may indicate a cancer of the uterus.
- Vaginal bleeding during intercourse warrants a visit to your healthcare professional.
- Cognitive Dysfunction: Cancer may affect patients with memory loss, the inability to multitask, speaking abnormalities, and a general inability to think clearly.
- Weight Loss: Weight loss is present with several different types of cancer.
- Anal or Genital Itching: Skin cancers frequently cause anal or genital itching.
- Headaches: Headaches have many causes. They rarely indicate cancer, but always warrant a visit to your doctor if they are severe and unrelenting.
- General Pain: Feelings of general pain, such as back pain and bloating, may indicate cancer.
- Back pain and bloating are experienced throughout human life. But serious, persistent back pain or bloating warrants a visit to your doctor.
- Depression: The cancer experience is often associated with feelings of depression. Depression has many causes that all warrant a visit to your doctor.
- Fatigue: Feelings of tiredness, lethargy, and exhaustion often accompany the onset of cancer.
- Anemia: This disorder is characterized by a lack of healthy red blood cells in the body. Anemia frequently causes iron deficiencies in the blood.
- Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional disorder in the world. Iron is responsible for the production of hemoglobin, a molecule designed to transport oxygen throughout the blood.
- Bowel cancer is a common cause of iron deficiency anemia.
- Changes in Urination: If you notice changes in you urinary habits, you should see a doctor.
- Hematuria, or blood in the urine, may indicate the presence of a cancer.
- Bladder and kidney cancers are often accompanied by hematuria.
- Difficulty Swallowing: Swallowing difficulties may indicate a wide variety of conditions. Elderly people and people with chronic heartburn and certain esophageal disorders commonly experience difficulty swallowing.
- Esophageal cancer is usually accompanied by difficulty swallowing.
- Difficulty swallowing may lead to anorexia and weight loss.
- Sores That Do Not Heal: If you notice a sore that is not healing, you should see a doctor. Sores or discolorations in the mouth, gums, tongue, throat, and skin always warrant a visit to the doctor.