Before you discount that persistent cough as just another
part of flu season, you might want to ask your doctor to give it a
second glance. According to a new study by Cancer Research U.K., more
than half of adults have experienced alarm bells that could mean cancer,
yet just two percent of them believed cancer could be a possible cause.
Researchers sent questionnaires to nearly 5,000 U.K.
residents registered with general practitioners—in other words, men and
women who have and visit a primary care doctor. Just shy of 1,800 people
completed the questionnaire, and five were eliminated because they
indicated they'd already been diagnosed with cancer.
They asked participants if, in the last three months, they'd
experienced a host of different symptoms (some of which could be
possible signs of cancer), ranging from persistent coughing and
unexplained weight loss to having low energy. If they had experienced
any of these symptoms, they were asked to write in what they thought
caused it and whether it was serious.
"We aren't sure why, but it seems there is a mismatch
between what people know in practice and whether they apply the
knowledge to themselves," says study co-authorKatriina Whitaker, Ph.D.,
senior research fellow at University College London. "So while awareness
of many of these signs and symptoms is quite high, very few people
mention cancer as a possible cause when it's them who is experiencing
the symptom."
Here, we take a look at the 10 symptoms researchers
consider to be red flags. While they could be nothing, the researchers
say the point is to recognize that they could also be cancer—and to ask
your doctor to check your symptoms out.
1. Persistent Cough or Hoarseness
While a cough here and there is nothing to worry about, a consistent
cacophony or a cough accompanied by blood is definitely cause for
concern. "Most coughs are not cancer," says Therese Bartholomew Bevers,
M.D., professor of clinical cancer prevention and the medical director
of the Cancer Prevention Center at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. "But
certainly a persistent cough needs to be evaluated to see if it could be
lung cancer." Your physician should recommend a chest X-ray or CT scan
to rule out cancer as a possibility.
2. Persistent Change in Bowel Habits
When your bowel movements aren't as easy as they once were or your stool
appears larger than normal or somewhat deformed, this could be a sign
of colon cancer, says Bartholomew Bevers. "It could be a sign that there
is a mass impeding the transit of the stool from the bowel," she says.
"This is a symptom where a person should go to the doctor and schedule a
colonoscopy to see if there indeed is a mass."
3. Persistent Change in Blader Habits
"If there is blood in the urine, that could be indicative of bladder or
kidney cancer—but more commonly this is a sign of a urinary tract
infection," says Bartholomew Bevers. Check for an infection first, then
pursue other treatment options.
4. Persistent Unexplained Pain
"Most pain is not a sign of cancer, but persistent pain must be checked
out," says Bartholomew Bevers. "If you have persistent headaches, for
example, you likely don't have brain cancer—but it is still something
that must be looked into. Persistent pain in the chest could be a sign
of lung cancer. And pain in your abdomen could be ovarian cancer."
5. Change in the Appearance of a Mole
While not all moles are indicative of melanoma, spotting a new mark or
one that has changed is something you should bring up with a
dermatologist who can screen for skin cancer
, says Bartholomew Bevers.
6. A Sore That Does Not Heal
If you have a sore that's hanging on past the three-week mark, you
should bring it up with your doctor. "We would have expected our body to
have healed itself by now," says Bartholomew Bevers, "and you should
absolutely get that checked out." That kind of sore could be a sign of
carcinoma.
7. Unexpected Bleeding
Vaginal bleeding—outside of your normal cycle—could be an early sign of
cervical cancer, while bleeding from the rectum could indicate colon
cancer, says Bartholomew Bevers.
8. Unexplained Weight Loss
"As adults, we try very hard to lose weight
,"
says Bartholomew Bevers. "But if weight is falling off of you without
any effort on your part, that is a big concern and can be indicative of a
serious medical problem." One of those problems, she says, could be
malignancy or a tumor.
9. An Unexplained Lump
"Any time you have a lump that is new or a lump that is changing, that
is something you should absolutely have looked at by your doctor," says
Bartholomew Bevers. While it could be a benign cyst (and likely is), it
could also be "a cancer that is in the subterranean tissue. A lump in
the breast, of course, is a very common symptom of breast cancer." See
your physician to get more information.
10. Persistent Difficulty Swallowing
Two cancers may be behind this symptom, including neck and esophageal
cancer. "People who see these symptoms will often start to modify their
diets, eating softer foods without thinking there could be a more
serious issue."
"The bottom line," says Whitaker, "is that if people are
experiencing any persistent symptoms, they should go to their doctor for
advice."
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