by Maria Teresa L. Ungson
CANCER…it’s also known as the BIG C…it just creeps into one’s system and takes over the health of the person doing much damage. I have lost relatives and friends because of the big C. Sad thing is that it’s hereditary, if it runs in the family, any member can be a victim of cancer. However, if detected early enough, damage control could be done and we have heard of and met actual survivors of the disease. Here are 15 symptoms that we have to check out regarding the big C.
1.Unexplained weight loss may delight a lot of us especially if we lose weight without trying. But unexplained weight loss — say 10 pounds in a month without an increase in exercise or a decrease in food intake — should be checked out. Consult your doctor to eliminate cancer, it can just be a case of an overactive thyroid.
2. Bloating is so common that many women just live with it. But it could point to ovarian cancer. Other symptoms of ovarian cancer include abdominal pain or pelvic pain, feeling full quickly — even when you haven’t eaten much — and urinary problems, such as having an urgent need to go to the bathroom. If the bloating occurs almost every day and persists for more than a few weeks, you should consult your physician.
3. When changes in the breast occur. Most women know their breasts well, even if they don’t do regular self-exams, and know to be on the lookout for lumps. But that’s not the only breast symptom that could point to cancer. Redness and thickening of the skin on the breast, which could indicate a very rare but aggressive form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, rashes that persists over weeks should be examined. Likewise, if the look of a nipple changes, or if you notice discharge (and aren’t breastfeeding), see your doctor. Just look out for changes in appearance that could be a cancer symptom.
4. Between-period bleeding or other unusual bleeding is another possible symptom. Premenopausal women tend to ignore between-period bleeding. They also tend to ignore bleeding from the GI tract, mistakenly thinking it is from their period. But between-period bleeding, especially if you are typically regular, bears checking out. So does bleeding after menopause, as it could be a symptom of endometrial cancer. GI bleeding could be a symptom of colorectal cancer.
5. Look out for skin changes. Most of us know to look for any changes in moles — a well-known sign of skin cancer. But we should also watch for changes in skin pigmentation.
6. If you have difficulty swallowing, you may have already changed your diet so chewing isn’t so difficult, perhaps turning to soups or liquid foods such as protein shakes. But that difficulty could be a sign of a GI cancer, such as in the esophagus so have it checked out too.
7. If you have blood in the wrong place it could be a sign of cancer. If you notice blood in your urine or your stool, don’t assume it’s from a hemorrhoid it could be colon cancer. Seeing blood in the toilet bowl may actually be from the vagina if a woman is menstruating but if not, it should be checked to rule out bladder or kidney cancer. Coughing up blood should be evaluated, too. One occasion of blood in the wrong place may not point to anything but if it happens more than once, go see your doctor.
8. If you have pain in the abdomen and are feeling depressed have a check up. Some researchers have found a link between depression and pancreatic cancer, but it’s a poorly understood connection.
9. Unexplained indigestion could be an early clue to cancer of the esophagus, stomach, or throat.
10. Watch out for changes in the mouth. Smokers should be especially alert for any white patches inside the mouth or white spots on the tongue since both can point to a precancerous condition called leukoplakia that can progress to oral cancer.
11. As people age they seem to complain more of various aches and pains, but pain can also be an early symptom of some cancers, although most pain complaints are not from cancer. Pain that persists and is unexplained needs to be checked out.
12. If you notice a lump or swelling in the lymph nodes under your armpit or in your neck — or anywhere else — it could be a symptom.
13. If you have a fever that isn’t explained by influenza or other infection, it could point to cancer. Fevers more often occur after cancer has spread from its original site, but it can also point to early blood cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma. Other cancer symptoms can include jaundice, or a change in the color of your stool.
14. Fatigue is another vague symptom that could point to cancer — as well as a host of other problems. It can set in after the cancer has grown, but it may also occur early in certain cancers, such as leukemia or with some colon or stomach cancers.
15. Coughs are expected with colds, the flu, allergies, and sometimes are a side effect of medications. But a very prolonged cough — defined as lasting more than three or four weeks — should not be ignored.
After all of these symptoms have been presented, we could still win the fight over cancer…I would still go for prevention…my advice is to simply live a healthy lifestyle. Live “wisely”!
