Cancer is a disease that causes abnormal cell growth in one or more parts of the body. There are more than 100 individual conditions grouped under cancer, and the effectiveness of treatments depends on how much the disease has spread in the body. In the country, it is estimated that about 1.8 million individuals will be diagnosed with cancer in 2020. Here are some of the early warning signs of cancer you should know about.
- Loss in appetite
This is one of the most common early warning signs of cancer you should be aware of. When your body develops tumor cells, it changes your metabolism or the way that your body converts food into energy. This will induce a loss of appetite. In some forms of cancer that start in the stomach or the pancreas, there is pressure put on the stomach that leads to a feeling of fullness that results in appetite loss. - Constant cough
When it comes to lung cancer, a very common early sign is a constant cough. The body views the growth of abnormal cells in the lungs as a pathogen and tries to remove them by coughing. If you are a smoker and you seem to cough continuously, definitely make an appointment with your doctor right away and get this checked. - Blood in the urine and stool
Both bloody urine and stool are early warning signs of cancer. While blood in the urine or stool can point to other health conditions too, if they are accompanied by other telltale symptoms such as lack of appetite or fatigue, you will feel better after getting it tested. Bloody stools and urine can point to cancer in the stomach, intestines, or the kidney. - Night sweats
If you wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat, then it could be because your body is trying to fight the cancer cells. Your body may develop a fever fighting the disease and end up sweating to cool down. Night sweats are not to be taken lightly. - Lumps on the body
If you can feel lumps on the body, especially in the area near the breasts or the neck, then they could be the spread of tumor cells. Any abnormal lump on the body needs to be checked as early as possible to eliminate the chances of cancer. These are definitely one of the common early warning signs of cancer.
Cancer does not always mean a death sentence. You can easily treat it with medications and therapy when you identify the disease early by spotting these early warning signs of cancer. Many cancer survivors have fought the disease successfully. Be aware of these early signs and talk to your doctor when in doubt.
