“Do I have cancer?”, or rather, “Am I susceptible to cancer?” is a question that haunts almost everyone.
Judging how susceptible one may be to cancer is not the easiest thing to do, but proper awareness of the know-hows can really help. Cancer is something that is feared by everyone, but if detected early, it can be conquered as well. In many cases, cancer is something that is completely out of your control and with factors like genetics, age, and gender, there are many things that can elevate your cancer risk.
However, it is very important to educate people to recognize cancer in its early stages. When it comes to cancer, time counts, and can actually help in saving your life. Here is some more information, not essentially about preventing cancer, but about identifying it, so you can seek medical help at the right time.
What are the Most Common Types of Cancer Prevalent in Women?
While breast cancer has its own ‘awareness month’ every October, it isn’t the only type of cancer that can affect women. The most common types of cancers that affect women are breast, lung, colorectal, cervical, endometrial, skin, and ovarian cancers. Each of these cancers affects certain changes in your body, so the key to detecting cancer at an early stage is to pay attention to every detail and to notice and inspect whenever something new or different happens to your body.
Signs that Women Need to Watch Out For
Not all cancer reflects pink and while you may be on the lookout for lumps and bumps on your breasts, there are more important, yet commonly ignored symptoms that women should be able to recognize.
Even though most of the cancer symptoms that you should look out for can also denote harmless medical conditions, you need to be aware of persistent signs and should contact a professional for certified assurance of whether it is cancer or some other condition.
1. Abnormal Periods or Abdominal/Pelvic Pain
As most women already know or have experienced abnormal periods, it isn’t an uncommon symptom. There are many reasons that can impact your menstrual cycle, such as pregnancy, obesity, ovarian cysts, thyroid extremities, menopause, and even stress. However, if you start to notice prolonged and significant changes, like post-menopausal bleeding or pelvic pain, you should visit a doctor. If you have ongoing abdominal pain, you need to see a doctor as ovarian, cervical, endometrial, and a few other types of cancers may cause persistent abdominal pain as well.
2. Bloody Stool or Vaginal Discharge
While bloody stools can be a cause for worry, the blame generally lies with constipation or haemorrhoids. Almost 75% of men and women suffer from blood in the stools at some point in time. However, it is not something that should be left unchecked. Bloody bowels are never normal and can lead to colon cancer. Similarly, dark, bloody, and smelly vaginal discharge is a warning sign for cervical, endometrial, or vaginal cancer.
3. Extreme and Abnormal Weight Loss
Thinking of it as a good change, many women tend to overlook weight loss. However, abnormal or extreme weight loss, or even gain, is a concerning occurrence and one should consult a doctor for the same. Unusual and unexpected changes in weight or appetite can be a symptom. Leukaemia, pancreatic, liver, oesophageal, and colon cancer are can causing symptoms like sudden weight gain/loss without any change in diet or exercise regime.
4. Changes in the Breasts
Women who are cautious about breast cancer know how to look out for lumps and bumps in the breast. However, there are also many other symptoms like breast dimpling that many people are unaware of. Other signs of breast cancer include skin discolouration, swelling, and even nipple inversion. So, if you witness even the slightest changes in your breasts, you should get checked by a doctor to rule out anything serious.
5. Chronic Coughing
Everyone gets sick every now and then, and it could be anything from a common cold to allergies to the flu, or it could be something serious. Generally, people tend to overlook such things and self-medicate with a paracetamol or cough syrup. But, if you have a cough that has lasted you for more than two weeks, it’s time to take things seriously. Coughing up blood is also a red flag for lung cancer or leukaemia.
6. Painful Swallowing
If you experience difficulty in swallowing for days on end, it may not be a sore throat and you might want to get it checked. Persistent symptoms can point towards the throat, stomach, lung, and even thyroid cancer. These ‘seemingly harmless’ symptoms should not be ignored for too long and you should head for a doctor’s appointment as soon as possible.
7. Apparent Skin Changes
You may know your ABCDs by heart, but did you know about the ABCDE of ‘melanoma’ or skin cancer? This would give you a good idea about which spot on the skin you should notice and which you should ignore:
A – Asymmetry: Draw a line through the middle of the lesion and notice if the two halves don’t match, so it
looks different from a round to oval and symmetrical common mole.
B – Border: Having abnormal or blurry edges.
C – Colour: Look for inconsistent colour changes in the skin
D – Diameter: Spots with a diameter bigger than 6 mm
E – Evolution: If the mole changes or evolves with time
8. Stomach Pain and Nausea
An upset stomach or nausea are so common that it may feel like an exaggerated claim to say that they can lead to cancer. However, if the stomach cramps or nauseous feeling has been affecting you for more than two weeks, you should book a doctor’s appointment as they can be potential signs of oesophageal, stomach, pancreatic, colorectal, or liver cancer.
9. Bloating
Bloating during your menstrual cycle or after a filling lunch is quite normal, but if you are bloated on a daily basis, the constant bloating feeling can be a sign of ovarian or uterine cancer. So, make sure you ask your doctor to take a closer look.
10. Chronic Headaches
One of the most commonly experienced and ignored symptoms, if you have never had migraines, then the sudden onset of painful headaches needs to be taken seriously. It could very well lead to brain cancer or lymphomas and should be thoroughly discussed with your doctor.
Basically, any symptom, no matter how big or small should be taken seriously, as it could denote cancer or something equally serious. You need to follow the 2-week rule and if any changes in your health last for that time period, it’s time to consult a doctor. Remember, when it comes to detecting cancer, you are the best person to be able to notice any changes.
List of best Oncologist in Delhi NCR: https://delhi.apollohospitals.com/cancer/clinical-team-doctors
