Don't rely solely on routine tests to protect yourself against cancer. It's just as important to listen to your body and notice anything that is different, strange, or inexplicable.
Here are some signs that are often overlooked:
1. Wheezing or shortness of breath
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page One of the first signs that many lung cancer patients remember noticing is the inability to catch their breath.
2. Chronic cough or chest pain
Several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung cancer, can cause symptoms that mimic a bad cough or bronchitis. Some lung cancer patients report chest pain that spreads to the shoulder or arm.
Did you know that cancer cells thrive in acidic environments? Cancer cells grow in acidic environments, but cease to exist in alkaline environments.
3. Frequent fevers or infections
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These may be signs of leukemia, a cancer of blood cells that starts in the bone marrow. Leukemia causes the marrow to produce abnormal white blood cells, weakening the body's ability to fight infection.
4. Difficulty swallowing
Difficulty swallowing is usually associated with cancer of the esophagus or throat and is sometimes also an early symptom of lung cancer.
5. Swollen lymph nodes or lumps in the neck, armpits, or groin
Swollen lymph nodes indicate changes in the lymphatic system, which can be a sign of cancer.
6. Excessive bruising or bleeding that won't stop
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symptom usually suggests that something abnormal is happening in your platelets and red blood cells, which may be a sign of leukemia. Over time, leukemia cells replace red blood cells and platelets, which impairs your blood's ability to carry oxygen and clot.
7. Weakness and fatigue
Generalized fatigue and weakness are symptoms of so many different types of cancer that you'll need to consider them in combination with other symptoms. But whenever you feel inexplicably exhausted and don't respond to more sleep, talk to your doctor.
8. Abdominal swelling or weight gain
Women diagnosed with ovarian cancer overwhelmingly report unexplained abdominal swelling that occurs quite suddenly and continues to recur intermittently over a long period of time.
9. Feeling full and unable to eat
This is another sign of ovarian cancer: women report having no appetite and being unable to eat, even if they haven't eaten in a while.
10. Pelvic or abdominal pain
Pain and cramps in the pelvis and abdomen can go hand in hand with the swelling that often signals ovarian cancer. Leukemia can also cause abdominal pain due to an enlarged spleen.
