Cancer can cause symptoms that are easy to dismiss as stress, aging, hormonal changes, digestive problems, or other everyday health issues. Many of these symptoms are caused by conditions that are not cancer, but persistent, unexplained, or unusual changes deserve medical attention.
Losing weight without intentionally changing diet or exercise can sometimes be a warning sign of an underlying health problem.
Unexplained weight loss may occur with several types of cancer, including cancers affecting the digestive system, pancreas, lungs, or other organs.
Other conditions can also cause unintended weight loss, including thyroid disorders, gastrointestinal disease, infections, medication effects, and significant stress.
A healthcare professional may want to evaluate unexplained or persistent weight loss, particularly when it occurs alongside other symptoms.
Breast cancer does not always begin with a noticeable lump.
Potential changes can include:
Many breast changes are benign, but a new or unusual change should be evaluated rather than assumed to be harmless.
Routine breast screening recommendations vary based on age, risk factors, and medical history.
Unexpected vaginal bleeding can have many causes, including hormonal changes, fibroids, polyps, infections, and certain medications.
However, abnormal bleeding can also be associated with gynecologic cancers.
Particular attention is warranted for:
The National Cancer Institute identifies abnormal vaginal bleeding as a possible symptom of endometrial and cervical cancers. (cancer.gov)
Any vaginal bleeding after menopause should be discussed with a healthcare professional.
Occasional bloating is common and is often related to diet, constipation, or digestive conditions.
Persistent or unusual bloating can sometimes occur with ovarian cancer.
Potential accompanying symptoms include:
The National Cancer Institute lists bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating, and urinary symptoms among possible ovarian cancer symptoms. (cancer.gov)
These symptoms are much more commonly caused by noncancerous conditions, but persistence warrants evaluation.
Ongoing pelvic, abdominal, or lower-back discomfort can have many causes.
Depending on the location and associated symptoms, possibilities can include gastrointestinal problems, urinary conditions, gynecologic disorders, musculoskeletal problems, or cancer.
Pain that is persistent, unexplained, worsening, or accompanied by other concerning symptoms should be evaluated.
A significant or persistent change in bowel function can sometimes signal colorectal disease.
Potential warning signs include:
The American Cancer Society lists changes in bowel habits, rectal bleeding, blood in stool, abdominal discomfort, and unexplained weight loss among possible colorectal cancer symptoms. (cancer.org)
Blood in the stool should not automatically be attributed to hemorrhoids without appropriate evaluation.
Occasional heartburn is common.
Persistent indigestion, frequent heartburn, difficulty swallowing, or a sensation that food is getting stuck can sometimes require further evaluation.
These symptoms can occur with gastroesophageal reflux disease and other noncancerous conditions, but persistent swallowing problems can also occur with cancers of the esophagus or upper digestive tract.
The American Cancer Society lists trouble swallowing, persistent indigestion or heartburn, chest discomfort, and unexplained weight loss among possible symptoms of esophageal cancer. (cancer.org)
A cough that does not go away can have many causes, including allergies, asthma, infections, reflux, smoking, and other respiratory conditions.
However, a persistent cough can also occur with lung cancer.
Other symptoms that may warrant evaluation include:
The American Cancer Society lists a cough that does not go away, coughing up blood, chest pain, hoarseness, shortness of breath, and recurrent respiratory infections among possible lung cancer symptoms. (cancer.org)
Skin cancer can develop in areas that receive significant sun exposure as well as areas that receive little or no sun.
A mole or skin lesion deserves attention if it changes in:
The ABCDE approach can help identify suspicious changes:
A — Asymmetry: One half does not resemble the other.
B — Border: The edges are irregular, ragged, blurred, or poorly defined.
C — Color: The lesion contains multiple or changing colors.
D — Diameter: The lesion is larger than approximately 6 millimeters, although melanomas can be smaller.
E — Evolving: The lesion changes over time.
The American Cancer Society recommends medical evaluation for suspicious or changing skin lesions. (cancer.org)
A sore that does not heal, persistent scaling, bleeding, or a new unusual skin growth can also warrant evaluation.
Fatigue is extremely common and can result from insufficient sleep, stress, anemia, infections, medication effects, thyroid problems, and many other conditions.
Cancer can also cause persistent fatigue.
Cancer-related fatigue may be particularly concerning when it is:
Fatigue alone is rarely enough to indicate cancer, but persistent unexplained fatigue can be worth discussing with a healthcare professional.
The ten signs above are not the only possible cancer symptoms.
Other changes that may warrant evaluation include:
The meaning of any symptom depends heavily on its duration, severity, age, medical history, and other accompanying signs.
Some symptoms should receive more urgent medical attention.
Examples include:
These symptoms can have causes other than cancer, but they can indicate serious medical problems requiring prompt evaluation.
One of the most important points is that most people with these symptoms do not necessarily have cancer.
For example, bloating can be caused by digestive conditions, abnormal bleeding can result from hormonal changes, and a persistent cough can come from asthma or reflux.
The purpose of recognizing warning signs is not to self-diagnose. It is to avoid ignoring a persistent or unexplained change.
A temporary symptom after an obvious cause is generally different from a symptom that repeatedly returns or progressively worsens.
For example:
But a symptom that persists without a clear explanation deserves a different level of attention.
Keeping track of when symptoms began, how often they occur, and whether they are getting worse can help during a medical appointment.
Waiting for symptoms is not an appropriate substitute for recommended cancer screening.
Depending on age and risk factors, screening may include tests for:
Screening recommendations vary according to age, personal history, family history, and risk factors.
For example, cervical cancer screening can identify precancerous changes before they become cancer, while colorectal screening can detect precancerous polyps.
Some cancers occur more frequently in families because of inherited genetic changes.
A healthcare professional may want to know about relatives who have had:
A strong family history does not mean cancer will develop, but it may affect screening or genetic counseling recommendations.
If a new symptom is persistent, unusual, or worsening, scheduling a medical evaluation is generally more appropriate than trying to determine the cause independently.
A healthcare professional may:
The testing depends on the symptom and suspected cause.