Cancer: Early Signs That Must Not Be Ignored

Undoubtedly, cancer is one of the most deadly diseases. It is a non-communicable chronic disorder, caused by uncontrolled growth of cells in the human body. Every year over 7 million people succumb to this disease across the globe and over 12 million people are diagnosed with it.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), estimated that India will observe over 8 lakh deaths and over 17 lakh new cancer cases annually by the year 2020.

There are some forms of cancer which show any noticeable symptoms only in the final stage, while there are certain other subtle symptoms which if paid attention to might save a life.

Here are some common signs of Cancer:

• Unintentional or unexplained weight loss: This is one of the earliest noticeable symptoms of cancer and is particularly common in patients of lung and breast cancer. Weight loss has been observed in over 40% of cancer patients at the time of diagnosis. Consult a doctor if you have lost over 10% of your body weight over a period 6 months or less.

• Wheezing: Particularly associated with lung cancer, which is also the most common form of cancer. When the airway in the lungs is pressed or narrowed by a tumor, it produces a wheezing sound when the person is breathing.

• Frequent infections: Frequent infections and fever may be an indication that something is wrong with the internal body organs. Cancerous conditions such as leukemia or lymphoma could be a possible reason for this.

• Reduced appetite: Cancer impacts the metabolic process of the body hence, often it results in a loss of appetite. This is particularly a symptom of colon, stomach, ovaries or pancreatic cancer.

• Blood in stool or urine: Traces of blood while passing stool or urine could be a symptom of cancer. Though, this could also be attributed to many other infections and conditions however, it should be addressed immediately.

• Chronic cough: Flu and cough along with symptoms like chest pain, hoarseness, weight loss and fatigue could be because of lung cancer.

• Night sweats: While night sweats can happen for many other reasons, it is also one of the many early warning signs of cancer.

Also, there are a few symptoms that are specific to both the human genders.

Cancer symptoms specific to men include:

• Blood in semen

• Pain during ejaculation

• Lump in testicles

Cancer symptoms specific to women include:

• Lump in the breast

• Lump under the arms

• Bleeding after menopause or in between periods

You must note that, early detection is the key to fight cancer and it greatly determines how successful the treatment will be. So, in case you experience any of these early symptoms get yourself diagnosed without any delay.