National Cancer Awareness Day: Signs You Should Look Out For

By- Samyati Mohanty

Cancer can create a wide range of symptoms, but most of the time, disease, trauma, benign tumours, or other issues are to blame for these symptoms. Visit your doctor if your symptoms do not go away after a few weeks so that issues can be identified and treated as soon as feasible. Do not wait until you experience pain before consulting a doctor because cancer frequently does not cause discomfort.

Breast, colorectal, endometrial, lung, cervical, skin, and ovarian cancers are a few of the cancers that most frequently afflict women. Your life could be saved if you are aware of these cancers and what you can do to help prevent them or detect them early (when they are little, haven't spread, and might be simpler to treat).

With the exception of skin cancers, breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women. Although it can happen at any age, the risk increases with age. Some women may have a higher risk of developing breast cancer than others due to specific variables. However, every woman needs to be aware of the risks for developing breast cancer and what she may do to lessen those chances.

Among the signs of cancer are some of the following:

• Breast adjustments- feeling of firmness or lump beneath your arm or in your breasts
• Changes or discharge
• Itchy, red, scaly, bumpy, or puckered skin 
• Altered bladder- difficulty urinating, Urine with blood in it, bleeding or bruising without apparent cause
• Bowel adjustments- stool with blood in it, alterations to bowel habits
• Continual coughing or hoarseness- eating issues
• Pain after eating (persistent heartburn or indigestion)- difficulty swallowing, belly ache, nausea and diarrhoea
• The appetite shifts- enduring, severe exhaustion
• Fever or nocturnal sweats without any apparent cause
• The mouth moves- a red or white spot within your mouth or on your tongue, bleeding, discomfort, or numbness in the mouth or lips
• Neurological conditions- Headaches, Seizures, Vision alters, alterations in hearing, sagging facial muscles
• Skin alterations- a lump of flesh that bleeds or becomes scaly, A new mole or one that has changed, a wound that doesn't get better, Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes) (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes), Anywhere lumps or swelling, including those in the stomach, groyne, underarm, or neck
• Unknown causes of weight gain or decrease

Having these symptoms isn't always alarming. They seem very common and you shouldn't panic if you notice either of them. Reach out to your doctor and discuss calmly with them. They are the best to guide you.

Early detection of cancer, when the disease is little, has not spread, and may be easier to cure, can reduce the number of people who pass away from it. The most reliable method of detecting breast cancer early is by getting routine screening tests.

Although there are certain distinctions between these tests to take into account, getting screened is always the most crucial step. Which tests might be the best choices for you? Discuss this with a healthcare professional.