Signs and Symptoms of Cancer: What to Look For and Be Aware of

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death. People are diagnosed everyday. Early detection and treatment is key to surviving cancer. In order to be able to detect cancer early one must know what to look for, so it is important to know what some of the general (non-specific) signs and symptoms of cancer are. They include:

Unexplained weight loss: Most people with cancer will lose weight at some time with their disease. An unexplained (unintentional) weight loss of 10 pounds or more may be the first sign of cancer, particularly cancers of the pancreas, stomach, esophagus, or lung.

Fever: Fever is very common with cancer, but is more often seen in advanced disease. Almost all patients with cancer will have fever at some time, particularly if the cancer or its treatment affects the immune system and reduces resistance to infection. Less often, fever may be an early sign of cancer, such as with leukemia or lymphoma.

Fatigue: Fatigue may be a significant symptom as cancer progresses. It may occur early, however, in cancers such as with leukemia or if the cancer is causing a chronic loss of blood, as in some colon or stomach cancers.

Pain: Pain may be an early symptom with some cancers, such as bone cancers or testicular cancer. Most often, however, pain is a symptom of advanced disease.

Skin changes: In addition to cancers of the skin, some internal cancers can produce visible skin signs such as darkening (hyperpigmentation), yellowing (jaundice), reddening (erythema), itching, or excessive hair growth.

There are other signs and symptoms that are more specific to each type of cancer. these are:

Change in bowel habits or bladder function: Chronic constipation, diarrhea, or a change in the size of the stool may indicate colon cancer. Pain with urination, blood in the urine, or a change in bladder function (more frequent or less frequent urination) could be related to bladder or prostate cancer. Any changes in bladder or bowel function should be reported to your doctor.