10 Cancer Symptoms You Should Never Ignore

Every one of us could be vulnerable to sickness and illnesses, and while there are some minor diseases that you can let them heal by themselves, there are some health issues that require medical attention. Cancer is one of the most hazardous health problems in the world.
Whether it is colon cancer, prostate cancer, or skin cancer… people who got this disease have to suffer through hours of therapy. In this article, we will introduce you to many cancer symptoms that you may ignore.
There are many times when your body may be sending you early warnings that you need to learn how to listen to them and react accordingly. Make sure to talk to your doctor about some of the symptoms that we will mention in our article.
And you should be aware that having these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer since they may indicate other health issues in your body.

 

1. PERSISTENT FATIGUE

If you are experiencing persistent fatigue, it may be one of the signs of colon cancer. But there are many other colon cancer symptoms that you need to keep an eye on including diarrhea or rectal bleeding. The persistent fatigue could also be one of the signs of leukemia when accompanied with other leukemia symptoms such as frequent or severe infections. In addition, it could be one of the signs of stomach cancer since stomach cancer symptoms include nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, and constant fatigue. In order to differentiate between regular fatigue and the one that could be among stomach, leukemia, and colon cancer signs, you should know that the latter doesn’t go away after taking a nap or having a good-night sleep.

2. WEIGHT LOSS

We all like to shed a few pounds, that’s why we adopt the best weight loss diet or take weight loss pills. However, when you notice that you are losing weight for no reason, this may be a red alert you have cancer. If no specific reason of losing weight comes to your mind -such as changing diet or exercising more- your weight loss could be explained by many health issues including cancer. When your body loses 10 pounds or more all of a sudden, it could be telling you that you have cancer at its early stages. So you need to set an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.

 

3. LUMPS OR THICKENING

If you have a lump on the breast, a lump on the armpit, or anywhere in your body, they may be cancer symptoms that you shouldn’t ignore. The lumps or thickening on the breast, for instance, could be breast cancer symptoms that should be immediately reported to a doctor; especially when they are changing in size. However, you shouldn’t always freak out when you find a lump on your body since many of these lumps and thickenings could be completely benign. But it doesn’t harm to visit your doctor and rule out the possibility of having health issues.

4. PAIN

Pain can be a sign of many problems in your system, and it can also be a sign of cancer. If you are experiencing chronic pain that doesn’t go away with pain meds or get better, this could be your body warning you that you have cancer. Pain could be one of the signs of brain tumor –brain tumor symptoms also include seizures, nausea or vomiting, and fatigue- as well as colon cancer, rectum cancer, or ovary cancer. So make sure you check your unusual and lasting pain as soon as possible to rule out the possibility of having these diseases.

5. FEVER

Fever symptoms could take place due to so many diseases and health problems, among which we find cancer. According to research, all people who are suffering from cancer may have a fever at some stage of the disease. This may particularly happen when cancer has negative effects on the immune system. Fever could be among blood cancer symptoms that you should never neglect, especially with some blood cancer types including lymphoma and leukemia. So if you have a fever that you can’t explain or doesn’t get better with medication, you need to seek medical counseling as soon as possible.

 

6. SKIN CHANGES

Generally, skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world. The problem with skin cancer symptoms is that they may be hard to recognize in the early stages of the disease. The signs of skin cancer may include a wart, , freckle mole that changes in shape, color, or size, or changes in its sharp borders. If you noticed any of these melanoma symptoms, then you should have yourself checked for this disease and other types of skin cancer. Furthermore, skin changes –including reddened, darker or yellowish skin, bleeding, and itching- may indicate having other types of cancer.

7. PROBLEMS WITH BLADDER AND BOWEL HABITS

If you have problems with your bowel movements especially diarrhea, long-term constipation, and changes in the shape and size of your stool, you should set an appointment with your doctor ASAP. Such symptoms may occur during some prostate, bladder, or colon cancer stages, that is why it is not a bad idea to report them to your doctor if they were accompanied by a change in bladder function and having pain or blood when urinating. Even if these were not prostate cancer symptoms, they could indicate having urinary tract infection. So a visit to the doctor is inevitable.

8. A LINGERING COUGH OR HOARSENESS

Usually, when you are coughing, all you need is some rest and cough medicine for a few days and you’ll be fine. However, there are times when your coughing becomes persistent and doesn’t go away with medicine. In case your cough is accompanied by back, shoulders or chest pain, then you should report these symptoms to your doctor to evaluate the situation. You should realize that severe coughing may be a sign of other health issues in your system that you should check; especially when it lasts for days after using the medicine. Also, abnormal voice changes could signal that you are having cancer, so keep an eye on them.

 

9. UNUSUAL BLEEDING

Unusual bleeding is always a red flag that is worth checking; even if it is not a cancer symptom. You may start experiencing unusual bleeding in some early or even advanced stages of cancer. If you notice abnormal vaginal bleeding, blood in your coughs, blood in your stool and urine, then you should rush to the hospital because these are all dangerous symptoms. For instance, coughing blood may signal having pulmonary embolism, tuberculosis, congestive heart failure, and lung cancer or non-malignant lung tumors, among many other diseases. So make sure you take unusual bleeding seriously and get it checked ASAP.

10. INDIGESTION OR TROUBLE SWALLOWING

True, not every time you experience indigestion symptoms you could be having cancer. But if indigestion problems don’t go away with appropriate treatment, they may be stomach, esophagus, or throat cancer symptoms. But don’t freak out, it is stated that the majority of indigestion or swallowing problems are not signs of throat cancer and can indicate something else. When you experience pain or discomfort in your upper abdomen, it may indicate contact of the protective lining of the digestive system (mucosa) with stomach acid, which can lead to inflammation and irritation.