Symptoms and Signs of Cancer That You Need to Know

Posted by Ryan Holman on December 19th, 2019

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases and has no specific symptoms which makes it important to limit their risk factors by undergoing proper cancer screenings at Medicross Medical, they also have a team of bulk billing doctors at Gold Coast. 

Although most cancer screening is specific to certain age groups and your primary care doctor will know what type of screening should be performed depending on your age. Although people risk factors of cancer should be acutely aware of potential cancer symptoms and should consult a physician if it develops. 

So, the best and the only way to fight cancer is by preventing it through early detection. Cancer treatment advances every year and early detection has made many cancers treatable. 

However, individuals need to know which symptoms might point to cancer and should not ignore the early signs of it as it may lead to early diagnosis and possibly to a cure.

Signs and symptoms of cancer

As mentioned above, cancer shows no signs or symptoms that exclusively indicate the disease. Although, some cancers occur more frequently in certain age groups. However, if you have some sort of sign that occurs or persists, you should consult a doctor for further evaluation. Some common symptoms that may occur are:

Persistent cough or blood-tinged saliva. 

•  Symptoms usually represent simple infections such as bronchitis or sinusitis. 
•  These could be symptoms of lung cancer or head and neck cancer. If you are suffering from cough for a very long time or your mucus contains blood then you should definitely visit a nearby medical center for cancer screening. 

Blood in stool

• Blood in the stool is a result of hemorrhoids. This causes rectal bleeding but because hemorrhoids are common, it can lead to cancer. Even when you have hemorrhoids, you should consult a doctor. 
• While X-ray studies are enough to clarify a diagnosis. 
• You might also require a colonoscopy. Routine colonoscopy is recommended once you are 50 years old. 

Breast Lump or Breast Discharge

•  Breast lumps are noncancerous tumors such as fibroadenomas or cysts. However, even these lumps should be investigated for the possibility of breast cancer. 
•  Although a negative mammogram result is not usually sufficient to evaluate a breast lump.  
•  While discharge from the breast is common but some forms of discharge may be signs of cancer. If the discharge is bloody or appears only from one nipple then you need to consult a cancer specialist as soon as possible. 

Unexplained Anemia

•  Anemia is a condition where people have fewer than the expected number of red blood cells. 
•  There are many types of anemia but blood loss almost always causes iron deficiency anemia. Unless there is a known source of ongoing blood loss, this anemia needs to be explained. 
•  Although many cancers can cause anemia, bowel cancers commonly cause iron deficiency anemia. 

Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing

• People usually do not have serious problems that are suffering from chronic heartburn.
• They may need to have an upper GI endoscopy if they are suffering from chronic or lasting symptoms despite using over the counter antacids. 
• Barrett's esophagus is a condition that can lead to cancer of the esophagus but can be treated with medication. 
• If you are getting swallowing problems then it should be investigated because nutrition is very important for the body.
• And the difficulty in swallowing solids can be seen with cancer of the esophagus. 

If you are suffering from any of these symptoms that are mentioned above then visit Medicross medical for cancer screening. Along with that, medical centers also offer many healthcare services for the local communities.