10 Warning Signs of Cancer You Shouldn’t Ignore

Cancer is a disease that can lead to death, but if detected early and treated appropriately, the survival rate is high. According to statistics from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the 5-year survival rate for cancer patients reached 70.6%. This is a 1.3-fold increase compared to 10 years ago. The rise in cancer survival rates is due to regular health check-ups and self-care. Let’s take a look at ten easily overlooked signs of cancer.

Changes in the Skin

If a normal black mole appears or the shape, size, or color of an existing mole changes, it could be skin cancer. Skin changes are closely related to melanoma. Melanoma is often mistaken for a bruise and overlooked. If a black mole appears on the palm of your hand or around your nails or if there is a color change to dark blue, like a bruise, it is recommended that you receive medical treatment.

Urinary Problems

An enlarged prostate can cause nocturia. If you have difficulty urinating or holding your urine for a few hours, you should suspect a disorder like prostate cancer. In the case of prostate cancer, it can be confirmed by receiving a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test from a specialist.

Drastic Weight Loss

One of the most common signs of cancer is sudden weight loss. According to a study published in the United States, a significant number of cancer patients experienced a weight loss of about 10 pounds without any particular reason before their cancer diagnosis. The cancers that cause weight loss are mainly stomach, lung, esophageal, and pancreatic. However, you don’t necessarily have to suspect cancer just because you’ve lost weight. But it’s worth suspecting if your weight decreases without any particular reason.

Pain When Swallowing

We consume food every day. Can you believe that this can tell you whether you have cancer? If it hurts when you chew or swallow food, you should suspect laryngeal cancer or a brain tumor. Frequent drinking and smoking can be the cause. In addition, in younger people, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection through oral sex can be suspected as the cause.

Back Pain

Most back pain is muscle pain caused by poor posture. However, it is also one of the common symptoms of pancreatic cancer. If your posture is twisted for a long time or if you have back pain persisting without any external impact, you should suspect a relationship with pancreatic cancer. Cancer cells that start in the pancreas can spread to nerve cells, causing pain in the back area.

Ulcers on the Mouth or Tongue

If a painless ulcer in the mouth persists for 3-4 weeks, oral cancer can be suspected. Oral cancer can be caused by viruses, radiation, and ultraviolet rays, as well as smoking, drinking, dietary habits, nutritional deficiency, and poor oral hygiene.

Cracked or Hoarse Voice

Cancer cells may have spread to the vocal organs if your voice cracks or becomes hoarse even though you did not catch a cold or strain your throat. If the symptoms of abnormal voice last for 2-3 weeks, it is necessary to suspect lung cancer.

Changes in Bowel Movements

According to a research team from the University of London, 18% of cancer patients reported experiencing changes in bowel movements, such as the timing, amount, and size of their stool. This is because when cancer occurs in the colon, bowel habits change suddenly, causing constipation or diarrhea. Blood in the stool is cited as the most critical signal of colon cancer (colorectal cancer, rectal cancer), and other symptoms can include black stool, a feeling of incomplete bowel movement after defecation, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and indigestion.

Unexplained Bleeding

If unexplained bleeding continues, leukemia should be suspected. Some solid cancers, not blood cancers, also have some bleeding symptoms. Lung cancer can cause blood to mix when coughing, uterine cancer from the vagina, and breast cancer from the nipple. Vaginal and postmenopausal uterine bleeding can be a dangerous signal of endometrial cancer and should be reported to a doctor immediately.

Heavy Sweating at Night

If you sweat heavily all night, even when it’s not a tropical night, you should suspect lymphoma. Lymphoma patients sweat a lot because lymphocyte cells consume a lot of energy. If there is a lump of about 2cm in the armpit, groin, or side of the neck, there is a high probability of lymphoma.

By. Hye In Oh