Cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the world today, with more than a million new cancer cases diagnosed in the US alone each year. While cancer might seem like a disease that you may not be able to recover from, the truth is that when it is detected early, many different types of cancer are treatable, and you can go on to live a healthy and fulfilling, cancer-free life.
If cancer is something that you are worried about after watching family members struggle with this disease or learning that you have a higher risk of it, then the good news is that there are lots of ways that you can detect it early. If you do develop any kind of cancer, early detection is the best way to significantly boost your chance of successful treatment. There are various signs, symptoms, and changes to look out for that might indicate cancer, allowing you to detect and treat it as early as possible.
Getting Regular Cancer Screenings
source: conquerpcos.org
Along with being vigilant to detect any of the symptoms listed below, it is a good idea to consider going for regular screenings to help with early cancer detection. With Ezra, you can get annual cancer screenings for different types to ensure the best chance of early cancer detection and quick treatment of any disease you may develop. Annual screenings give you peace of mind that if you do develop cancer, it is more likely to be found early where there is still a good chance of curing it.
Changes in Urine
A sudden change in the color, smell, or frequency of urine can be a sign of bladder cancer. Of course, it’s not always that serious and it may be something easily rectifiable, such as that you are dehydrated after not drinking enough. But if the problem does not go away if you are drinking plenty of water, or you have noticed changes in your urine even though you are drinking as normal, then it may be worth speaking to your doctor. Chances are that it’s caused by something less worrying like urinary infection, but it’s always best to rule cancer out.
Persistent Back Pain
source: medicalnewstoday.com
There are many different reasons why back pain may occur, and of course, not all of them are as serious as cancer. However, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor to rule out cancer, as persistent back pain can be caused by cancer in the spine. Unlike typical back pain that you might experience after sleeping on a cheap mattress or lifting something heavy, back pain that is caused by cancer tends to lead to discomfort or tenderness that you will feel deep in your bones.
Chronic Heartburn and Swallowing Problems
Two significant signs of cancer that you should never ignore are chronic heartburn and swallowing difficulties, especially if you notice that you are experiencing these symptoms at the same time. Cancer of the esophagus often comes with a problematic symptom where the patient will have difficulty swallowing solid food. Not only that, but problems with swallowing lead to other complications like rapid, unhealthy weight loss and dehydration, so it’s important to get this checked over by a medical professional to rule out cancer and get treatment for the underlying cause.
Changes to Moles or Warts
source: communitycancercenter.org
Moles and warts and not uncommon, and many people are born with one or two. Warts are sometimes temporary, but even if they are not, they are usually nothing to worry about. However, any skin growths that you do have should be monitored on a regular basis in order to look out for any unusual changes. Any moles or warts that suddenly appear on your skin that were not there previously should also be investigated as this could be a sign of skin cancer. If you have any larger moles, it’s best to get these checked out too as they have a higher risk of becoming cancerous compared to smaller ones. Luckily, removing moles and warts is quite a straightforward process.
Appetite Loss
There are lots of medical conditions that can have an impact on your appetite and leave you not feeling like eating much, including a lot of less serious conditions like the flu or even a common cold. If you lose your appetite for a couple of days because you are feeling under the weather, then this might not be a huge cause for concern. However, a sudden loss of appetite may be worth speaking to your doctor about as it can be caused by cancer. This is especially true of cancers that impact the digestive system such as stomach cancer, which put pressure on the stomach and leave you feeling too full to eat as much food as you normally would.
Unexplained Weight Loss
source: everydayhealth.com
Weight loss that you are not trying to achieve is one of the main symptoms that will occur in the early stages of cancer. When you lose weight due to having cancer, it often does not appear to have a clear cause. If you’ve found yourself losing weight even though you have not made any changes to your diet or the level of exercise that you are doing, then it’s worth going to your doctor with your concern. While it might not always be caused by cancer, this type of unexplained weight loss, especially if it happens rapidly, is almost always caused by an underlying medical issue.
Persistent, Extreme Fatigue
While we all feel tired every now and again, one early symptom of cancer is feeling very fatigued. In this case, you are unlikely to feel much more awake even if you have had a long night’s sleep or drank a black coffee. Fatigue due to cancer is a tiredness that you may feel in your entire body and may have negative impacts on your life, affecting relationships and leading to problems with work. If you’re experiencing this, speak to your doctor – even if it’s not caused by cancer, it can be the result of many other medical problems that treatment is available for.
Early detection is one of, if not the best way to make sure that your chance of recovery is improved if you develop cancer. Along with regular screenings, it’s important to be aware of the early symptoms and know what to look out for.
