- 1. Weight loss without dieting or exercising
- 2. Intense tiredness doing small tasks
- 3. Pain that doesn't go away
- 4. Fever that comes and goes, without taking medicine
- 5. Changes in stool
- 6. Pain when urinating or dark urine
- 7. It takes time to heal wounds
- 8. Bleeds
- 9. Skin spots
- 10. Lumps and swelling of the waters
- 11. Choking frequently
- 12. Hoarseness and cough for more than 3 weeks
- What to do if you suspect cancer
- Why pay attention to the signs and symptoms of cancer?
- How cancer arises
- How the treatment is done
- Surgery
- Radiotherapy
- Chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy
- Hormone therapy
- Bone marrow transplant
- Phosphoethanolamine
Cancer in any part of the body can cause generic symptoms such as loss of more than 6 kg without dieting, always being very tired or having some 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.
Usually cancer is diagnosed when the person has very specific symptoms, which can appear overnight, without explanation or as a consequence of a disease that has not been properly treated. How can it happen when a gastric ulcer progresses to stomach cancer, for example. See what are the most common signs of stomach cancer.
Therefore, in case of suspicion, you should go to the doctor to carry out all the necessary tests, since diagnosing cancer at an early stage increases the chances of a cure.
1. Weight loss without dieting or exercising
Rapid weight loss of up to 10% of initial weight in 1 month without dieting or intense physical exercise is a common symptom in people who are developing cancer, especially cancer of the pancreas, stomach or esophagus, but which can also appear in other types. Know other diseases that can cause weight loss.
2. Intense tiredness doing small tasks
It is relatively common for people who are developing cancer to have anemia or blood loss from their stools, for example, which leads to a decrease in red blood cells and a reduction in oxygen in the blood, causing intense tiredness even when doing small tasks, such as climbing some steps or trying to make a bed, for example.
This tiredness can also occur in lung cancer, since the tumor can take several healthy cells and decrease the respiratory function, leading to a fatigue that gets progressively worse. In addition, people with more advanced cases of cancer may also experience fatigue early in the morning after waking up, even if they have slept all night.
3. Pain that doesn't go away
Localized pain in a certain region is common in several types of cancer, such as cancer of the brain, bone, ovary, testis or intestine. In most cases, this pain does not relieve with rest and is not caused by excessive exercise or other illnesses, such as arthritis or muscle damage. It is a persistent pain that does not subside with any alternative such as cold or hot compresses, only with strong painkillers.
4. Fever that comes and goes, without taking medicine
Irregular fever can be a sign of cancer, such as leukemia or lymphoma, arising due to a weakened immune system. Generally, the fever appears for a few days and disappears without needing to take medicine, reappearing unsteadily and without being linked to other symptoms such as flu.
5. Changes in stool
Having intestinal variations, such as very hard stools or diarrhea for more than 6 weeks, can be a sign of cancer. In addition, in some cases there may also be major changes in the intestinal pattern, such as having very hard stools for some days and, on other days, diarrhea, in addition to a swollen belly, blood in the stools, nausea and vomiting.
This variation in the stool pattern must be persistent and unrelated to food and other intestinal diseases, such as irritable bowel.
6. Pain when urinating or dark urine
Patients who are developing cancer may experience pain when urinating, urine with blood and a desire 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 out this hypothesis.
7. It takes time to heal wounds
The appearance of wounds in any region of the body, such as 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 that are responsible for helping the healing of injuries. However, the delay in healing also occurs in diabetics, which can be a sign of uncontrolled diabetes.
8. Bleeds
Hemorrhage can also be a sign of cancer, which can happen in the initial or more advanced stage, and blood may appear in the cough, stool, urine or nipple, for example, depending on the affected body region.
Vaginal bleeding other than menstruation, dark discharge, constant urge to urinate and menstrual cramps may indicate uterine cancer. Check out which signs and symptoms may indicate uterine cancer.
9. Skin spots
Cancer can cause changes in the skin, such as dark spots, yellowish skin, red or purple spots with dots and rough skin that causes itching.
In addition, changes in the color, shape and size of a wart, sign, spot or freckle of the skin may appear, which may indicate skin cancer or other cancer.
10. Lumps and swelling of the waters
The appearance of lumps or lumps can appear in any region of the body, such as breast 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. This symptom can be present in several types of cancer.
11. Choking frequently
In cancer patients, difficulty in swallowing may arise, causing choking and persistent cough, especially when the patient is developing cancer of the esophagus, stomach or pharynx, for example.
Inflamed tongue in the neck and tongue, enlarged abdomen, pallor, sweating, purple spots on the skin and pain in the bones may indicate 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. Persistent dry cough, accompanied by back pain, shortness of breath and severe tiredness may indicate lung cancer.
Other symptoms that can also indicate cancer in women are changes in the size of the breast, redness, the formation of crusts or sores on the skin near the nipple and fluid leaking from the nipple, which can indicate breast cancer.
The presence of these symptoms does not always indicate the existence of a tumor, however, they may suggest the existence of some alteration and, therefore, it is important to go to the doctor as soon as possible to assess the health status, especially individuals with a family history of cancer.
What to do if you suspect cancer
In case of suspected cancer, you should go to the doctor to perform blood tests such as PSA, CEA or CA 125, for example, and the values are usually increased.
In addition, the doctor may indicate an ultrasound or magnetic resonance to look at the organ and confirm the suspicion of cancer, and in some cases, it may be necessary to perform another imaging test or a biopsy. See which blood tests detect cancer.
After knowing what type of cancer the person has, the doctor also indicates all the possibilities of treatments and even the cure rate.
Why pay attention to the signs and symptoms of cancer?
It is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer, turning to the doctor as soon as you feel any of the signs or symptoms, as the treatment is more effective when the cancer is diagnosed early, having less probability of spreading to other regions of the body, thus existing greater chances of cure.
In this way, no signs or symptoms should be ignored, especially if it has been present for more than 1 month.
How cancer arises
Cancer can arise in any person, at any stage of life and is characterized by the disordered growth of some cells, which can compromise the functioning of some organ. This disordered growth can happen quickly and the symptoms appear in a few weeks, or it can happen slowly, and after many years the first symptoms appear.
Cancer can also be related to complications such as worsening of some disease, but there are other related factors such as smoking, consumption of high-fat foods and exposure to heavy metals.
How the treatment is done
After the diagnosis of cancer, the doctor must also indicate the stage of the tumor and what are the treatment options because they can vary depending on the person's age, type of tumor and stage. Options include:
Surgery
To remove the entire tumor, part of it or even other tissues that may be affected by it. This type of cancer treatment is indicated for tumors such as colon cancer, breast and prostate cancer, as they are easier to operate.
Radiotherapy
It consists of exposure to ionizing radiation that can decrease the size of the tumor, and can be indicated before or after surgery.
The patient does not feel anything during the treatment, but after the radiotherapy session he may have side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, red or sensitive skin, which last only a few days. Rest is important in the patient's recovery after the radiotherapy session.
Chemotherapy
Characterized by taking a cocktail of drugs, in the form of pills or injections, which are administered at the hospital or treatment center.
Chemotherapy can consist of only one drug or it can be a combination of drugs and can be taken in tablets or injectable. The side effects of chemotherapy are several such as anemia, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores or changes in fertility. Long-term chemotherapy can also cause leukemia, a blood cancer, although it is rare. See more about what to do to lessen the side effects of chemotherapy.
Immunotherapy
These are drugs that make the body itself able to recognize cancer cells, fighting them more effectively. Most treatments with immunotherapy are injectable and work on the entire body, causing symptoms of allergic reactions such as rash or itching, fever, headache, muscle pain or nausea.
Hormone therapy
They are pills that serve to fight hormones that may be related to the growth of the tumor. The side effects of hormone therapy depend on the medication used or the surgery, but it can include impotence, menstrual changes, infertility, breast tenderness, nausea, headache or vomiting.
Bone marrow transplant
It can be used in cases of cancer of the blood cells, such as leukemia, and is intended to replace the diseased bone marrow with normal bone marrow cells. Before the transplant, the individual receives treatment with high doses of chemotherapy or radiation to destroy the cancerous or normal cells of the bone marrow, and then receive a healthy bone marrow transplant from another compatible person. Side effects of bone marrow transplantation can be infections, anemia, or rejection of healthy bone marrow.
Phosphoethanolamine
Phosphoethanolamine is a substance that is undergoing tests, which seems to be effective in combating cancer, increasing its chances of cure. This substance is able to identify and eliminate cancer cells, but further studies are needed to prove its effectiveness.
These treatments must be guided by the oncologist and can be used alone or combined with each other to decrease the risk of metastasis, which occurs when the tumor spreads to other regions of the body and also to increase the chances of a cure.
