Cancer anywhere in the body can cause general symptoms such as weight loss without following a weight loss diet or strenuous exercise, frequent tiredness, and pain that doesn’t go away. However, to arrive at the correct diagnosis it is necessary to do a series of tests to rule out other hypotheses.
Cancer is usually diagnosed when a person has very specific symptoms, which can appear from one hour to the next, either without explanation or as a result of a disease that has not been adequately treated. As can happen when a gastric ulcer evolves into stomach cancer, for example.
+ The queue of cancer patients in SP exceeds 1,500; the wait can be 7 months
In the presence of signs and symptoms that may be indicative of cancer, it is important that the doctor is consulted so that a general assessment of the person’s state of health is carried out, also taking into account the family history. In this way it is possible to identify the cause of the symptoms and, if it is cancer, to start treatment early, increasing the chances of recovery.
The main symptoms that may be indicative of cancer and which should not be ignored are:
1. Lose weight without diet or exercise
Rapid weight loss of up to 10% of initial weight in 1 month, without dieting or vigorous exercise, is a common symptom in people who are developing cancer, mainly pancreatic, stomach, or esophageal cancer, but which can also arise in other types . Know of other diseases that can cause weight loss.
2. Intense fatigue from performing small tasks
It is relatively common for people who are developing cancer to have anemia or blood loss through stool, for example, which leads to a decrease in red blood cells and a reduction in oxygen in the blood, causing intense fatigue even when performing small tasks, like climbing some steps or trying to make the bed, for example.
This tiredness can also occur in lung cancer, as the tumor affects many healthy cells and decreases respiratory function, leading to progressively worsening tiredness. Additionally, people with more advanced cancers may also experience fatigue first thing in the morning after waking up, even if they’ve slept through the night.
3. Pain that doesn’t go away
Pain localized to a particular region is common in many types of cancer, such as brain, bone, ovarian, testicular, or bowel cancer. In most cases, this pain doesn’t ease with rest and isn’t caused by excessive exercise or other conditions, such as arthritis or muscle injuries. It’s a persistent pain that doesn’t go away with any alternatives like cold or hot packs, only with strong painkillers.
4. Fever that comes and goes without taking medicine
Spotted fever can be a sign of cancer, such as leukemia or lymphoma, resulting from a weakened immune system. Generally the fever appears for a few days and disappears without the need to take medicine, re-emerging in an unstable way and without being linked to other symptoms such as those of the flu.
5. Changes in stool
Having bowel movements such as very hard stools or diarrhea for more than 6 weeks could be a sign of cancer. Furthermore, in some cases, important alterations in the intestinal pattern may also arise, such as having very hard stools for some days and, on other days, diarrhea, as well as a swollen belly, blood in the stools, nausea and vomiting.
This variation in stool pattern must be persistent and unrelated to food and other intestinal conditions such as irritable bowel.
6. Painful urination or dark urine
Patients who are developing cancer may have painful urination, blood in the urine, and needing to urinate more frequently, which are more common signs of bladder or prostate cancer. However, this symptom is also common in urinary tract infection and therefore a urine test should be performed to rule this out.
7. It takes time to heal wounds
The appearance of wounds in any region of the body, such as the mouth, skin or vagina, for example, that take more than 1 month to heal, can also indicate cancer at an early stage, as the immune system is weaker and there is a decrease in platelets which are responsible for wound healing. However, delayed healing also occurs in diabetics and can be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes.
8. Bleeding
Bleeding can also be a sign of cancer, which can occur in the early stages or in a more advanced stage, and blood can appear in the cough, stool, urine or nipple, for example, depending on the region of the body affected .
Vaginal bleeding other than menstruation, dark discharge, a constant need to urinate, and menstrual cramps can indicate uterine cancer. Find out the signs and symptoms that may indicate uterine cancer.
9. Skin spots
Cancer can cause skin changes, such as dark spots, yellow skin, red or purple blotches with bumps, and rough, itchy skin.
Also, changes in the color, shape, and size of a wart, mole, spot, or freckle on the skin may appear, which may indicate skin cancer or another type of cancer.
10. Lumps and swelling of the waters
The emergence of lumps or lumps can arise in any region of the body, such as the breasts or testicles. In addition, there may be swelling of the belly, due to enlarged liver, spleen and thymus, and swelling of the tongues located in the armpits, groin and neck, for example.
11. Frequent suffocation
In some cancer patients, there may be difficulty swallowing, causing choking and a persistent cough, especially in cases of cancer of the esophagus, stomach or pharynx, for example.
Inflamed swelling in the neck and groin, swollen abdomen, pale skin, sweating, purple spots on the skin and pain in the bones are common symptoms of leukemia. Find out how to identify leukemia.
12. Hoarseness and cough for more than 3 weeks
Having a persistent cough, shortness of breath, and hoarse voice can be a sign of lung, larynx, or thyroid cancer, for example. The presence of a persistent dry cough, accompanied by back pain, shortness of breath and intense tiredness, can be indicative of lung cancer.
Other symptoms that can also indicate cancer in women are changes in the size of the breast, redness, crusting or sores on the skin near the nipple, and discharge from the nipple, which can indicate breast cancer. Learn more about breast cancer.
What to do if you suspect cancer
If you suspect cancer, you should go to your doctor to get blood tests done such as PSA, CEA or CA 125, for example, which are tumor markers whose blood levels are increased in some blood types.
Also, your doctor may order an ultrasound or MRI scan to look at the organ and confirm suspicions of cancer, and in some cases, another imaging exam or biopsy may be needed. Find out which blood tests detect cancer.
From the results of laboratory and imaging tests, in addition to identifying the type of tumor, the doctor is able to verify the severity of the tumor and the presence or absence of metastases, as well as its possibility. In this way, the best treatment and cure rate may be indicated.
Why be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer?
It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer and to see your doctor as soon as you experience any of the signs or symptoms, as treatment is most effective when cancer is caught early, as it is less likely to spread to other regions of the body. body, thus existing greater possibilities of cure.
In this way, no sign or symptom should be ignored, especially if it has been present for more than 1 month.
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