Signs and Symptoms of Cancer
A sign is a signal that indicates something is going wrong in the body. This can be seen by health care practitioners. Like swelling, inflammation, redness, rash all are signs whic
h can be seen. A symptom is something that is experienced by that individual only. For example, weakness, pain, chillness, spasm, breathlessness etc. For many different diseases it may happen they give same signs and symptoms of cancer. Only with the help of signs and symptoms doctor cannot detect the disease for that they have to undergo medical tests.
As we know that cancer is caused due to abnormal division of cells and forming tumors. Cancer is a group of diseases. The signs and symptom depends on how big it is and how much it affects nearby organs and tissues. If cancer spreads in the body then symptoms may appear in different parts of the body. As tumors grow it pushes the nearby organs, blood vessels, and nerves. Due to this pressure it causes signs and symptoms of cancer. But if tumor formation takes place in any part of brain then even the smallest tumor can cause early symptoms.
It may happen that symptoms may not appear in the early stage. It gives signs and symptoms only after it grows quite large. For example in pancreatic cancer, the pancreas do not grow enough large to felt from the external of the body. So when the tumor enlarges it causes blocking of nearby nerves ad may block the flow of bile. This causes backache and jaundice. Till then pancreatic cancer is in an advanced stage.
Signs and symptoms of cancer may differ but with any one or more of the subsequent symptoms you should seek specialist medical advice without delay. Very often the symptoms may be nothing to do with cancer, but if it is cancer the quicker you are seen by a doctor the better.
Symptoms of cancer are important to know and also help to detect the disease. I
Cancer symptoms include:
• Any lump or swelling in the body
• Fever
• Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
• Sudden and unexpected weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Discharge or bleeding from the genital, anus or mouth
• Difficulty in swallowing or urinating
• Changes in bowel or bladder function
• A sore or ulcer that will not heal
• Persistent pain
The journey with cancer is a stretched, nerve-racking and exhausting one. The treatment procedure itself may be disadvantageous to the affecting well-being of the patient.