The first signs of cancer diseases

Concerning the signs of the cancer problem lies in the fact that there is no symptom that would be typical for such diseases as cancer. Symptoms of oncological diseases (in particular, the first signs of cancer) in the majority of cases similar manifestations of many other (often trivial) diseases. Therefore, attention should be paid to their duration and the simultaneous occurrence of not 1 but 2 or more of these symptoms.

Signs of cancers can be divided into General and local. Local symptoms may occur, in most cases, a local lesion tissue affected by the tumor process.

Common symptoms of cancer are associated with generalized tumor process and metastasis.

Main features

The first symptoms in Oncology are divided into 3 groups:

1. Symptoms of local tumor that grows on a certain place, manifests the problems that are typical for this place. This is because the harm the growth of the tumor affect the organs and tissues in the surrounding area.
2. Symptoms are common – especially in the later stages of cancer, tumor growth weakens the body and creates difficulties for the whole body. They are identical for most cancers.
3. The symptoms caused by the secretion of specific substances (paraneoplastic symptoms) – sometimes the cells from which the tumor is unable to secrete substances that influence other parts of the body.

Each cancer has its own set of specific symptoms. In accordance with certain characteristics, you can also assess how the disease progresses and, perhaps, to hope for a cure.

Local symptoms for some types of cancer

1. Blood in the stool, difficulty with bowel movements, excessive flatulence is a colorectal tumor.
2. Disorders of swallowing – throat cancer and esophagus.
3. Cough, hemoptysis cancer of the lungs and Airways.

   

4. Blood in the urine is a cancer of the kidneys, bladder and urinary tract, prostate.
5. Headache, blurred vision – cancerous disease of the brain.
6. Chest pain, skin changes, perceptibility seals – breast tumors.
7. Vaginal bleeding – cancer of the cervix.

General symptom

• Fatigue.
• General malaise.
• Loss of appetite.
• Big weight loss.
• Night sweat.
• General weakness.

Paraneoplastic symptoms

They include the full range of manifestations dependent and hormone-like substances that create cancer cells. For example, if there is a kidney cancer that can occur in one of the following phenomena:

1. Hirsutism.
2. Breast augmentation, sometimes perhaps even the production of breast milk.
3. A sudden increase in blood pressure.
4. Disorders of carbohydrate metabolism.
5. Sudden high fever.
6. Various other signs.

About symptoms more specifically

Weight loss

Unintentional weight loss is a very dangerous symptom, which, of course, can also occur in some benign tumors. Examined should be the person who within six months lost about 10% of their initial weight. To weight loss usually comes due to late process of generalized tumor. The tumor consumes nutrients, but the main problem is a systemic inflammatory reactions to its presence. This creates a huge amount of inflammatory mediators that the bodyleads to catabolism (degradation). Man languishes, suffers from loss of appetite, losing weight, and this weight loss does not compensate even the best nutrition.

Night sweats and a long-term high temperature

Again, we are talking about a warning sign indicating the presence of a tumor associated with generalized inflammatory reaction in our body. Defense compounds, produced in large volume may cause the higher temperature (37-37,9°C) and night sweats. The young people of this symptom is accompanied by oncological blood diseases such as leukemia and lymphoma. These diseases of the blood, usually diagnosed, namely, in a generalized epidemic, but they are, nevertheless, at this stage also often respond well to treatment.

Enlarged lymph nodes

Painless swelling of the subcutaneous lymph nodes is a symptom that should be investigated. Can present essentially any tumor that metastasizes to the lymph nodes, is a very common swollen lymph nodes for cancer of the blood.

Fatigue

Fatigue often accompanies cancer. Unfortunately, he is such a subjective and nonspecific symptom that seldom draws attention. A warning may be the fact that fatigue occurs simultaneously with other symptoms.

Cough and hoarseness

Examined must be a person with a chronic cough, i.e. a cough present for more than 2-3 weeks. Part of the survey, in this case, there must be chest x-ray (ideally anteroposterior and lateral). If a person smokes, chronic cough is a serious warning! (The problem lies in the fact that coughing in a certain way relates to the chronic bronchitis of smokers. Thus, it is necessary to pay attention to a significant deterioration or change in the nature of cough). Prolonged hoarseness (2-3 weeks), the situation is similar. In addition to an x-ray of the lungs should be examined by an otolaryngologist.

Jaundice

In children and young people, rather, we will focus on viral hepatitis, jaundice, accompanied by pain in the upper right quadrant, in turn, is usually associated with gall stones. However, if jaundice occurs in the elderly person being painless (that is, without pain in the right upper quadrant), this is a bad sign. The cause is often a tumor, the growth of which clamps the bile ducts. Despite the fact that almost all the tumors in this localization are lethal, the prognosis is not optimistic.

Anemia

A shortage of red blood cells can accompany almost any tumor. Our body is opposed to a cancer that hides from him the iron (tumors love him, because they are necessary for their growth). Iron, of course, necessary for the development of red blood cells. Some tumors can lead to anemia, causing a gradual bleeding – this is typical for colon cancer and may also be present for cancer of the kidney.

Bleeding

This refers, in particular, the detection of blood in the stool, blood in urine, coughing up blood, gynecological bleeding, etc.

Headaches and cramps

These symptoms can occur with brain tumors. Tumors in the brain, in vast majority of cases, benign, but a person can kill their growth and, as a consequence, inhibition of brain tissue and the development of intracranial pressure. It is therefore necessary to monitor and, if necessary, to solve the problem – here are determined individually.

Breast lump

A manifestation, among other things, typical for breast cancer. In order to calm, we should say that mainly we are talking about non tumor, but, of course, need to be screened. The treatment of breast cancer is currently quite effective, but it is nevertheless true that the earlier the disease is detected, the more successful will be the result of the struggle with her.

The alternation of diarrhea and constipation

This is a typical manifestation of left-sided colon cancer.

Anomalies moles

The emergence of new or changing an old home may be due to relatively frequent and very dangerous disease is melanoma, or skin cancer. "Warning" moles have an irregular shape, rapid growth, black color, bleeding them, etc. need to be examined by a dermatologist.

Pathological fracture

We are talking about fractures that occur at low loads on the bone. Most often, the reason lies in bone metastases of other tumors, rarely in primary cancer of the bone.

You also need to add that cancer itself does not hurt. The pain, however, sometimes arises when it comes to penetration of the tumor mass in the nerve plexus. Unpleasant pain can occur during pressure on the spine and local nerves.