Signs and symptoms are your body’s way of telling you that you have an injury, disease, or illness.
Symptoms such as fever and bleeding can be seen or measured by someone.
Symptoms such as pain and fatigue are felt or noticed by the patient.
Cancer symptoms depend on where the tumor is, how big it is, and how much it affects nearby organs and tissues. If the tumor has spread (metastasized), symptoms may appear in different parts of the body.
How does cancer cause signs and symptoms?
Cancer can grow or push into nearby organs, blood vessels, or nerves. This pressure can cause some of the signs and symptoms of cancer.
Cancer can cause symptoms such as fever, extreme tiredness (fatigue), or weight loss. This may be because cancer cells consume most of the body’s energy. Or the cancer may release substances that change the way the body produces energy. Cancer can cause an immune system response that causes these symptoms.
What are the common symptoms of cancer?
Most symptoms are not caused by cancer, but may be caused by other things. If your symptoms don’t go away or get worse, see your doctor to find out what’s causing it. If cancer is not the cause, the doctor can help determine the cause and treat it if necessary.
For example, lymph nodes are part of the body’s immune system and help the body absorb harmful substances. Normal lymph nodes are small and difficult to find. However, nodules can become enlarged during infection, inflammation, or cancer. The area near the surface of the body can become large enough to feel with the finger, and some may appear as swelling and lumps under the skin. One of the reasons why lymph nodes can become swollen is when a tumor develops. So, if you have an unusual lump or lump, you should see your doctor to find out what’s going on.
Here are some of the common symptoms of cancer. However, any of these can be caused by other problems.
Fatigue or extreme tiredness that does not go away with rest.
Unexplained weight loss or weight gain of 10 pounds or more
Eating problems such as loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting
Swelling or lump anywhere on the body
Lumps and lumps in the breast or other parts of the body
Pain, especially new or unexplained pain, does not go away or gets worse
Skin changes such as bleeding, spotting, new moles, sores that won’t heal, and yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice).
Coughing and hoarseness do not go away
Bleeding and bruising for no apparent reason
Bowel habits such as constipation or diarrhea do not go away, or the appearance of the stool changes.
Bladder changes such as pain when urinating, blood in the urine, frequent urination
Fever or night sweats
Headache
Vision or hearing problems
Changes in the mouth such as sores, bleeding, pain and numbness
The symptoms listed above are the most common symptoms of cancer, but there are many other symptoms that are not listed here. Tell your doctor if you notice any major changes in how you feel or function, especially if they last longer or get worse. If it has nothing to do with cancer, your doctor can determine what’s going on and treat it if necessary. If it’s cancer, you give yourself the chance to treat it earlier, when treatment is more successful.
Sometimes cancer can be detected before symptoms appear. The American Cancer Society and other health groups recommend that you get a cancer screening and certain tests, even if you don’t have symptoms. It helps in early detection of some cancers. You can find more information about early detection in the American Cancer Society’s guidelines for early detection of cancer.
Remember, even after a cancer screening, it’s important to see your doctor if you develop new symptoms. The signs and symptoms may be cancer or another disease that needs treatment.
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