Know the Warning Signs of Cancer to Get Early Screening & Treatment

Cells are the building blocks of the human body. Your body normally produces new cells as you need them while replacing old cells that die. Sometimes, cellular changes cause uncontrolled growth and division of cells even when you don’t need them. This may result in tumors which cause damage to the immune system and other fatal impairment in the body.

Cancer is the second most common cause of death after heart disease. It has a major impact on people of all ages and genders in the United States and across the world. In 2019, the estimated 1,762,450 new cancer cases will be diagnosed in the U.S and 606,880 cancer deaths are expected to occur as per a scientific paper published in the American Cancer Society Journal.

This life-threatening disease can be cured if detected early. However, some cancers develop completely without symptoms. To limit the risk factors, it is important for you to get appropriate cancer screening from the best primary care doctor. Your primary physician will know what screening to perform based on your age. Thus, prevention and early detection are the best ways to fight cancer. 

How Does Cancer Cause Signs & Symptoms

Cancer is a disease that can cause any type of sign or symptom. As cancer grows, it starts spreading on nearby blood vessels, nerves, and organs, which may cause some of the signs and symptoms of cancer. If the cancer cells spread in the critical organs, such as the brain, even the smallest tumor can cause symptoms.

Moreover, cancer cells consume a lot of your body’s energy supply and can cause changes in the workings of your immune system. Sometimes, it doesn't cause any sign or symptom in the place where it begins until it grows quite large. Few non-cancerous symptoms are caused when cancer cells release substances into the bloodstream.

Warning Signs of Cancer

The signs and symptoms of cancer may vary depending on the area where cancer develops, the size of cancer, and the level of impact it causes to the organs or tissues. One needs to learn which symptoms might lead to cancer and get an early diagnosis and cancer screening from the primary care physician to help cure the disease. Some common signs and symptoms of cancer are as follows:

●        Unexpected Weight Loss or Frequent Fever

Unexplained weight loss may be one of the first signs of cancer. It is most common in people with pancreas, esophagus, stomach or lung cancer. Having a fever is common when cancer spreads from where it has started. Almost all people with cancer will experience a fever at some point. People with cancer are likely to feel night sweats with fever. 

●        Persistent Lumps in The Breast or Other Body Parts

Thickening of the skin or a lump can be a sign of cancer and should be reported to the primary care doctor. People with cancer in the breast, lymph nodes (glands), testicles, and the soft tissues of the body have lumps. A gland or lump that remain swollen and persist for weeks should be diagnosed.

●        Visible Changes in the Skin

Skin changes like yellowish and darker looking skin, excessive hair growth, and itching and redness of the skin can signal cancer. Moreover, cancer screening is required for the sores that don't heal and moles, warts or freckles that change in shape, size, and color.

●        Back Pain or Headache

Pain related to a muscle sprain or indigestion is common among people, but it can also be an early sign of some cancers like testicular cancer or bone cancer. The pain usually occurs when cancer has already spread to the body. Back pain is common in people with colon, pancreatic, rectal or ovarian cancer. Though cancer is not a common cause of headache, a severe relentless headache can be a sign of brain cancer.

●        Changes in Bowel or Bladder Function

Constipation, diarrhea or any significant changes in the bowel habit can lead to colon cancer. People with bladder and prostate cancer may feel pain when passing urine, irritation of the bladder, blood in the urine, or any changes in bladder function.

●        Unusual Bleeding

It may lead to different cancers like bloody stools could be a sign of rectal or colon cancer, coughing up blood may signal lung cancer, breast cancer may cause bloody discharge from the nipple, cancer of the cervix may cause abnormal vaginal bleeding, and blood in the urine means you may have kidney cancer.

●        Changes in the Mouth

Non-healing sores in the mouth and persistent white patches in your gums or on your tongue may turn to leukoplakia, a precancerous area caused by frequent irritation. If not treated, it may lead to mouth cancer. Check with your doctor for any long-lasting mouth changes.   

If you are experiencing any of these warning signs don’t wait!  Visit our primary care doctors in Brooklyn NYC, at Artisans of Medicine to get an early cancer screening today!