While men are more likely to ignore cancer symptoms and avoid going to the doctor, it doesn’t mean that all women are vigilant about getting their recommended health checkups.
Younger women may ignore symptoms with the thought that cancer is something that afflicts older people. While it’s true that people who are older are more often diagnosed with the disease, there are quite a few younger people who get cancer as oncologist Mary Daly, MD notes.
Some deliberately ignore symptoms with the belief that cancer is incurable so there is no need to waste time getting it checked out anyway.
Of course, there is also no need to worry about every little thing either. Needless worrying and stress isn’t good for our health – instead, developing a healthy balance between denial and hypochondria is the best course of action.
If you do have cancer, the earlier you’re treated, the easier the disease is to treat. To help you to become aware of when it’s important to call your doctor, here is a look at ten possible cancer symptoms that shouldn’t be overlooked.
- Extreme weight loss
While most women would love to lose weight without trying, if you haven’t altered your diet or changed your exercise routine and have lost somewhere in the neighborhood of ten pounds in a month, you need to find out why.
Unexplained weight loss is an early sign of colon and other digestive cancers. It can also be a sign of cancer that has spread to the liver which affects the appetite and the ability of the body to rid itself of wastes.
Of course, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is cancer, as this could also be a sign of an overactive thyroid. It’s important for your doctor to rule out all of the possibilities to discover the root cause.
- Wheezing or shortness of breath
Many lung cancer patients say one of the first things they noticed that clued them into something being askew was the inability to catch their breath.
If shortness of breath comes on suddenly and is accompanied by chest pain, it could be a sign of a heart attack which means you should call 911.
Shortness of breath with wheezing may be asthma or an infection. If you’ve been a smoker and your shortness of breath has gradually been getting worse you may have emphysema or chronic bronchitis.
No matter what your situation, if you experience these symptoms, you should get checked out by your physician.
- Fatigue
Fatigue could be the result of many different problems, but it can also be a symptom of cancer. Some cancers like leukemia, colon or stomach cancer can cause fatigue in the early stages.
Generalized fatigue and weakness can be a symptom of a wide range of cancers and it needs to be addressed in combination with other symptoms. Any time you feel exhausted for no particular reason and you don’t feel better after getting more sleep, you should visit your doctor.
- Excessive bruising or uncontrollable bleeding
Many leukemia patients first discovered something was wrong when bruising developed in unusual places such as the fingers and hands; some noticed bleeding gums or red spots on the face, neck and chest.
This suggests something abnormal is going on with the platelets and red blood cells which may be a sign of leukemia; over time, leukemia cells crowd out red blood cells and platelets which impairs the blood’s ability to carry oxygen and clot.
- Swollen lymph nodes
Enlarged lymph nodes indicate changes in the lymphatic system, which can be a sign of cancer. Lumps on the neck, underarm or groin can be an early sign of leukemia, while a swollen lymph node under the arm is sometimes a sign of breast cancer. Lumps in the lymph system are an indication that the body is fighting an infection. If you have a symptom, don’t assume it is cancer – worry is never worth it, instead, get it checked out.
- Difficulty swallowing
Unless you have strep throat or other similar illness that makes it difficult to swallow, this symptom is commonly associated with esophageal or throat cancer, and is sometimes an early symptom of lung cancer.
- Frequent fevers or infections
If you have a fever that isn’t explained by the flu or a specific infection, it could be cancer. Leukemia patients tend to complain of fever, achiness and other flu-like symptoms that occur over an extended period of time. Leukemia will also decrease the body’s ability to fight infections.
- Breast and/or nipple changes
Most women are aware of the importance of looking out for lumps in the breasts, but there are other symptoms of cancer that should cause an alert as well. A red, sore or swollen breast could indicate inflammatory breast cancer; a rash that persists for more than a few weeks should also be looked at.
Another sign to watch out for is nipple discharge (unless you are breastfeeding), or if your nipples are normally pointed outward and begin to appear flattened or inverted.
- Bloating
While bloating is common for many women for a few days each month as part of PMS, women who have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer frequently report that abdominal bloating came on suddenly and continued over a long period of time. If you experience bloating on most days for over a few weeks, you should talk to your doctor.
- Skin changes
Most women are aware that it’s important to look for changes in moles as this is known to be a sign of skin cancer, but there are other signs in the skin that can provide clues to a problem as well. You should be vigilant about checking skin all over your body for odd-looking growths or spots as well as excessive scaling or bleeding.
Both men and women should watch for any unusual changes in the body and energy levels in order to detect cancer signs as early as possible. The sooner a problem is noticed, the sooner you can begin to take the necessary steps to promote healing.
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://www.rd.com/slideshows/20-cancer-symptoms-women-are-likely-to-ignore/?trkid=outbrain-all#slideshow=slide11
http://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/15-cancer-symptoms-women-ignore?page=4