It doesn’t matter how old you are, what your race is, or your lifestyle choices. It can grow in your body just as much as it can grow in your neighbor’s or in that of a total stranger.
But, there are things you can do to take care of yourself and offset the chances of cancer happening to you.
The first thing to focus on is knowing the signs of cancer.
Here are 25 cancer signs to be aware of.
1. Moles
Sores grow on the skin. Moles, on the other hand, are usually a birthmark you are born with.
Moles may sometimes be the result of sun damage or aging. New moles should always be checked out. They are not always because of cancer, but they could be a window into other health conditions.
If a mole you have had for a while starts to bleed, it is time to check it out another time.
2. Sores
Sores are one of the signs of cancer that are a bit easier to spot.
These often appear around the mouth, especially in cold weather or extreme climate changes.
Sores could also be a result of contact with a person who has sexually transmitted diseases. Although these are not always cancerous, they are still a condition to treat as soon as possible.
3. Lumps
If you feel a random bump underneath your skin, don’t underestimate it.
It could be nothing, but it could also be a sign of cancer. Pay attention to the lump for a few days and see if it grows or goes away. Re-occurring lumps or lumps happening randomly around the body are a definite reason to at least call your doctor.
To check for lumps, be mindful of your body when you wash off in the shower. Reach around carefully to feel for bumps that are out of the norm.
4. Freckles
You may be inclined to discredit discolorations as freckles.
Freckles are sometimes a result of sun exposure, so if you are outside a lot, it can make sense.
But, these “harmless” dots could also be something more. Freckles should cause concern when they change in size, turn into moles, or change color.
5. Bloating
Another possible sign of cancer is bloating.
Bloating during your time of the month or after a big meal is normal.
Random, reoccurring bloating is not. This is a reason to start taking better care of yourself and to check for serious conditions, like cancer, in the body.
6. Joint Pain
When you touch a bruise and you feel pain, it is easy to see the connection.
But, when you try to stand and feel a tightness in your knees – or when other joints act up – the cause is not as easy to determine. These could be simple results of your lifestyle, especially if you are mostly sedentary or active. Your joints just need a bit of extra care.
Or, joint pain could be a cancer sign. Try to move your body a bit more, or with more care, and see if the pain reduces.
If it does not, you could have something serious on your hands.
7. Back Pain
One more cancer sign to consider is back pain.
Back pain can creep into your life as a result of many things. People with office jobs get lower back pain from sitting too long, as do those who are on their feet all day in other work settings.
Such pain can come from bad posture, too.
Or, it can be one of your first conditions from cancer. If it is chronic or comes out of nowhere, consult someone.
8. Night Sweats
Night sweats when you are really sick with the flu are fairly common.
Night sweats that are frequent and for no reason are highly unusual.
These could be your body’s way of trying to protect itself from internal cancer signs. Listen to its behaviors and find out what is causing this to happen.
9. Random Pain
Sometimes, you can’t even tell if your pain is in a joint, a muscle, or all over.
Random pains in any part of the body should never be overlooked. These could be cancer signs or something less serious, but still worth checking out.
Be careful as you move about until you are able to consult someone on the reason for your pain.
10. Lasting Fatigue
Night sweats can lead to poor sleep. But, your body might be tired all the time even after a good night’s rest. This is a sign of some sort of issue that sleep can’t fix.
You may simply not be eating enough, or you might be experiencing your first cancer signs.
11. Frequent Fevers
Are you taking more sick days than usual lately?
Do you live with a constant runny nose or a sore throat?
Such “small” fever symptoms could be much more serious – aka cancer signs. This is especially of concern if home remedies for the flu and even traditional medicine won’t do.
12. A Weak Bladder
Bladders have another way of warning your body about cancer.
If you find yourself going to the bathroom more than you used to, it could be because of a serious internal condition.
Be mindful of how many times you’re relieving yourself throughout the day. If your trips are more frequent than they should be, the next trip you should make is to someone who can give you a medical opinion.
13. Breathing Issues
Have you recently started to snore?
Do you find yourself catching your breath after going up a flight of stairs?
Such breathing issues are not always cancer signs, but sometimes, that’s exactly what they are. If you experience these, don’t take the risk.
Find out what’s really going on as soon as you can.
14. Blood in the Urine
Another kind of bleeding that should raise some concern is blood in your urine.
Thankfully, these situations are not always cancer signs. You may have a UTI or other condition to treat, though.
The best way to find out is to talk to your doctor as soon as a few drops of blood start coming out. Don’t wait for the bleeding to worsen to reach out.
15. Chronic Acid Reflux
Cancer signs can also appear in the body as chronic acid reflux.
This starts to take a toll on the esophagus as a result of exposure to stomach acid.
But, it can cause serious conditions in the long run. Treat your throat pain as soon as you can to keep such progressions from happening.
16. Trouble Swallowing
You might not even have to make it through your meal to feel some signs of cancer at play.
Trouble swallowing can be more of a warning than you think. This most commonly points to tumors in the esophagus or the stomach.
But, the only way to know for sure is to act on what your body is trying to tell you.
17. Continuous Coughing
Breathing problems might clog you up in your upper body. Coughing is one of the body’s ways of relieving such a situation.
If you are coughing all day long, though, you have a problem.
This can develop chest pains and get in the way of your productivity. Not to mention your mood will suffer.
Most importantly, your whole body could be at risk of cancer.
18. Changes in Skin Color
The cheeks aren’t the only part of your skin that might experience some discoloration.
Just as you should feel for lumps from time to time, take a close look for color changes.
You may be able to notice it right away – like looking pale in the face or other body parts as a whole. Other cancer signs on the skin will be spotty or grow over time.
Keep an eye out to catch either of these situations as soon as you can.
19. Unexplainable Bruises
Bruises are another form of color changes on the body.
They can happen when a small child trips as well as when an adult bumps into something.
Sometimes, though, they happen for no external reason at all. This is when you should be worried about cancer signs. Bruises of extreme size or sensitivity should be of particular concern.
20. Bleeding from the Chest
Speaking of bleeding, blood can sometimes come from the nipple.
This is one of the most common cancer signs of breast cancer.
Breast cancer can happen to men as well as women, by the way. Whatever your gender, do not overlook this if it happens to you.
21. Unexpected Weight Loss
It makes sense that difficulty swallowing would lead to weight loss.
No one wants to eat a whole meal if every bite is a piece of work.
But, if you are eating fine and still seeing some pounds shed, you are body could be using up more resources than normal. This might be because it is trying to fight off the cancer signs different internal systems have picked up.
22. Irregular Bowel Movements
Are you experiencing diarrhea or constipation on a regular basis?
These aren’t just because of the chili fries you recently ate.
Take such bodily movements seriously, especially if they are happening more often than not.
23. Other Indigestion Symptoms
Sometimes indigestion hits before your food even makes it out the other end.
Such symptoms include heartburn and stomach pain. Heartburn can feel like a pain in your chest after eating, or constant burping post-meals as well.
Whatever indigestion feels like in your body, if it is happening frequently, your symptoms could actually be cancer.
Pay attention to your next few meals and see how you feel immediately after.
24. Discoloration on Your Tongue
Another thing you can check for after eating is the color of your tongue.
Actually, you can check this at any point throughout the day.
Stick out your tongue and look for any white spots. These discolorations are typically cancer signs, most common in people who have a history of heavy tobacco use.
White spots can also appear on your cheeks.
25. Denial of Symptoms
No matter what kind of cancer signs you get, the worst sign is one of denial.
When your body is trying to tell you something and you don’t listen, you are allowing cancer to spread. Keep this from happening by practicing mindfulness and trying to watch out for symptoms more carefully.
