Unmistakable signs and symptoms of cancer
Unmistakable signs and symptoms of cancer
Cancer continues to be a nightmare in most Kenyan households. Doctors say that it can be treated if detected early. The problem is most people do not know they have cancer until it is too late. Here are some unmistakable signs and symptoms that should raise a red flag.
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Unexplained weight loss
Most people with cancer will lose weight at some point. When you lose weight for no known reason, it’s called an unexplained weight loss. An unexplained weight loss of 10 pounds or more may be the first sign of cancer. This happens most often with cancers of the pancreas, stomach, esophagus, or lung.
Fever
Fever is very common with cancer, but it more often happens after cancer has spread from where it started. Almost all people with cancer will have fever at some time, especially if the cancer or its treatment affects the immune system. Less often, fever may be an early sign of cancer, such as blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma.
Fatigue
Unmistakable signs and symptoms of cancer
Fatigue is extreme tiredness that doesn’t get better with rest. It may be an important unmistakable sign and symptom of cancer as it grows. But it may happen early in some cancers, like leukemia. Some colon or stomach cancers can cause blood loss that’s not obvious. This is another way cancer can cause fatigue.
Pain
Pain may be an early symptom with some cancers like bone cancers or testicular cancer. A headache that does not go away or get better with treatment may be a symptom of a brain tumor. Back pain can be a symptom of cancer of the colon, rectum, or ovary. Most often, pain due to cancer means it has already spread (metastasized) from where it started.
Skin changes
Along with skin cancers, some other cancers can cause skin changes that can be seen. These unmistakable signs and symptoms of cancer
include:
- Darker looking skin
- Yellowish skin and eyes
- Reddened skin
- Itching
- Excessive hair growth
