It is important to note any unusual changes that occur in your body, because it may be a symbol of cancer. Knowing the first symptoms of cancer could assist you higher to cure the disease.
Before relying on testing for answers, you are already gifted with a natural testing machine: your body. Listening closely to your body can provide you with some helpful hints on spotting diseases, like cancer, that you might otherwise overlook.
Signs to Look For
Indirect Symptoms
1. Wheezing/shortness of breath
One of the first signs many lung cancer patients remember noticing is the inability to catch their breath. Lung cancer patients remember noticing this as one of their first symptoms but didn’t initially connect it to cancer.
2. Frequent fevers or infections
This can be an indication of leukemia, a cancer of the blood cells that starts in bone marrow. It causes the marrow to produce abnormal white blood cells that hinder your body’s infection-fighting abilities.
3. Difficulty swallowing
Trouble swallowing is most commonly associated with esophageal or throat cancer, and is sometimes one of the first signs of lung cancer, too.
Most commonly associated with throat cancer, but can be a good indicator of lung cancer too.
4. Weakness and fatigue
Generalized fatigue and weakness is a symptom of so many different kinds of cancer that you'll need to look at it in combination with other symptoms. But any time you feel exhausted without explanation and it doesn't respond to getting more sleep, talk to your doctor.
Such a common symptom of cancer that it should be looked at in combination with other symptoms to determine which it is.
5. Feeling full and unable to eat
This is a sign of ovarian cancer. A loss of appetite even when you haven’t eaten for a while is a tip-off.
6. Anorexia
Could be an early sign of pancreatic cancer. A sudden disgust for coffee, wine or smoking can be linked to this as well.
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Visible Bodily Changes
7. Rectal bleeding or blood in stool
Common sign of colorectal cancer. Blood in the toilet should be a big enough sign to see a doctor immediately.
8. Lumps in the neck, underarm or groin area
Swollen lymph nodes indicate changes in the lymphatic system which can lead to cancer.
9. Excessive bruising or bleeding that doesn’t stop
Suggests abnormalities with the platelets and red blood cells, which can be a sign of leukemia. Leukemia cells crowd out red blood cells impairing your blood’s ability to carry oxygen leading to clots.
10. Bloating or abdominal weight gain
Ovarian cancer patients reported unexplained bloating that came on suddenly and continued for a significant amount of time.
11. Unexplained weight loss
An early sign of colon and other digestive cancers. Also a sign of cancer that has spread to the liver, affecting your appetite and the body’s ability to get rid of waste.
12. A red, sore, or swollen breast
Indicates inflammatory breast cancer, unexplained changes should be told to a doctor immediately. A nipple that appears flattened, inverted or turned sideways had also been noticed by patients diagnosed with breast cancer.
13. Swelling of facial features
Lung cancer patients have reported noticing puffiness, swelling or redness of the face. Small cell lung tumors commonly block blood vessels in the chest preventing blood from flowing freely to the head.
14. Sore/lump on the skin that bleeds, becomes crusty or doesn’t heal
Different types of skin cancer (melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) can cause these, so be aware of any odd-looking growths or spots.
15. Changes in nails
Several kinds of cancer can be indicated if you have some unknown and odd changes to the fingernails. A black streak or brown or a dot under your nails usually lead to skin cancer. White or pail nails can often be a symptom of liver cancer.
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Pain
16. Unusually heavy or painful periods, bleeding between periods
This is a common warning sign for uterine cancer. If these symptoms occur, do a transvaginal ultrasound.
17. Chronic cough or chest pain
Leukemia and lung tumors (among others), these symptoms are often mistaken for a bad cough or bronchitis. Some patients also reported a chest pain that extended to the shoulder and down their arm.
18. Pelvic/Abdominal pain
These signs are linked with the bloating signs of ovarian cancer. They can also indicate leukemia as it enlarges the spleen.
19. Pain in back or lower right side
Many cancer patients say this was the first sign of liver cancer. Breast cancer can also be found through this as a breast tumor can press backward into the chest or spread to the spine or ribs.
20. Upset stomach
Colorectal cancer can cause stomach cramps or a frequently upset stomach.
How to Reduce Your Risk
Vitamin D is a known cancer preventative, so normalize your levels through careful sunlight exposure and supplements. Keep your insulin levels down by reducing or eliminating processed food, as insulin levels may influence prostate cancer.
This can also be controlled and monitored through blood tests.
Do regular physical activities and exercises which will also help in keeping the insulin levels normal. Higher lycopene plasma levels, a carotenoid pigment present in tomatoes and many berries and fruits, have been shown to lower prostate risk in men as well.
Reduce exposure to environmental toxins like pesticides, household chemical cleaners, synthetic air fresheners and air pollution. Some studies suggest that long-term cell phone usage over 10 years could be linked to brain tumors, but improvements to cell phones over the years has caused the results to be debated.
Maintaining healthy lifestyle choices by limiting your exposure to risks will help your body in the long run. It’s not unusual for 10+ years to pass between exposure to a cancer risk and diagnosis so be safe and prepared early to try and avoid any hardships in the future!
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