Knowing common cancer symptoms and signs can help you whether you’ve been diagnosed with cancer in the past or if you are concerned you might be affected in the present.
Fatigue
When your body is fighting cancer, it might have a difficult time maintaining the functions it normally would. Not only is it supporting the regular processes in your body, but it is also fueling the cancer cells in the body – whether you want it to or not. As a result, much of the oxygen in the blood stream can go to other areas of the body, causing you to feel fatigued. There might also be blood loss in the body due to the cancer, causing exhaustion even before you begin cancer treatments.
Unexplained Weight Loss
If you’ve noticed that you’ve lost a lot of weight in a short period of time without having tried to lose weight, this might be a sign of cancer. Many cancer resources will tell you that a weight loss of over ten pounds in a month is something which should be brought to the attention of your doctor.
Loss of Appetite
While this might be linked to the weight loss, you might find that your appetite isn’t as strong as it was before. This is because you might be having troubles tasting foods or that you might be having pains or feelings of fullness in your stomach and throat, possibly caused by tumors or other growths.
Pain
Generalized or localized pain can often be signs and symptoms of cancer as well. When you have a pain which can not be explained by an injury or overuse, it’s time to see a doctor if it does not resolve on its own.
Fevers
As the cancer is growing or as you are managing cancer symptoms, you might find that you have fevers. This is a sign that your immune system is trying to fight off invading bodies, though it might not be a sign that the body is winning. Every cancer patient will have a fever at some point of their treatment and diagnosis as well as before the diagnosis.
While these symptoms are often associated with cancer, having any of these signs does not mean that you actually have cancer. But since they might be telling you something about your health, it never hurts to get things checked out by your doctor.