Eleven Warning Cancer Signs Women Usually Ignore

Women are notorious for being very particular when it comes to the health needs of their family members. However, they tend to get lax when matters pertain to their own health, because they usually put themselves last. Apart from this careless attitude, many women are ignorant about certain health conditions. This is especially true in case of cancers. Many women believe that cancer is a disease of the old and hence, often ignore the early warning signs of the disease.

Many a time, even if a woman does notice these signs, she will quickly develop an attitude of denial — "I'm probably overreacting", or "it's probably nothing". For them, cancer is a disease that affects others; they believe they are immune to it, or would at least very much like to believe that. Because of this attitude, the condition is often diagnosed when it is too late for treatment.

Remember that many cancers are completely curable when detected and treated early. However, if they metastasize to other organs, the prognosis no longer remains good. Therefore, it is imperative to recognize the early warning signs of cancer. Some of these early cancer signs which every woman should be aware are discussed below. 

Unexplained weight loss

Which woman would not like to lose some weight? But if your spontaneous weight loss is drastic, say around 10 pounds in a month even though you have not been exercising or dieting vigorously, instead of rejoicing, sit back and think. Unexplained weight loss is a reason enough to go and see a doctor.

Experts say that one of the biggest reasons behind unexplained weight loss is cancer. The doctor may check your thyroid or run scans of different areas to rule out other causes and ascertain whether a diagnosis of cancer can indeed be made. On the upside, if you get the all clear, you will also be able to stop worrying.

Changes in the breast skin

This is one sign that women usually do not miss. However, most of them think that breast cancer usually presents as a lump in the breast tissue. So even when they notice some changes in the overlying skin of the breast or the nipple, they tend to ignore these sudden changes. But doctors would like to tell you that any redness over the skin of the breast persisting for more than two to three weeks may be indicative of a rare but very aggressive form of breast cancer, namely one called inflammatory breast cancer.

Similarly any discharge from the nipple or change in its position should not be taken lightly. In some cases, breast cancer also presents as "orange peel skin", with deep pits like the skin of an orange.

Any non-menstrual bleeding

Bleeding in between your menstrual periods, especially if your periods are normally on time, should ring an alarm bell in your head. Similarly, any vaginal bleeding, once you have attained menopause, should alert you. It could be a sign of endometrial cancer which should be treated at the earliest possible opportunity for the best prognosis.

Similarly, presence of blood in your stools should also be reported to the doctor immediately. It could be something as simple as hemorrhoids or it could be an early warning sign of colorectal cancer — so as always, better to be safe than sorry.

Warning Signs Of Cancer You Simply Cannot Ignore

Bloating

Bloating is such a common problem that most of the times we blame it on indigestion and rightly so. However, if the bloating persists for days together and is accompanied with pain in lower abdomen and urinary urgency, it is time to meet your doctor.

According to specialists, bloating could be a warning sign of ovarian cancer and women complaining of it for several weeks should be thoroughly examined to rule out its possibility.

Any abnormal changes in the skin

Women should watch out for any abnormal changes in their skin. Development of any new red or brown moles, or sudden increase in size of a pre-existing mole should be viewed suspiciously and be shown to the doctor. Sudden scaling of skin persisting for more than a few weeks also warranties an examination by an expert. These changes may be a warning sign of skin cancer and should never be taken lightly.

Difficulty in swallowing your food

Sometimes the only indication of a cancer of esophagus is difficulty in swallowing. So if you ever encounter such a problem do not ignore it. Many a times, women encountering a difficulty in swallowing their food, simply switch their diet to liquid form. But remember, if the problem is arising because of some cancer, sooner or later you will face problems in swallowing liquids too. And by the time that happens, the cancer may have spread to an unmanageable state. Therefore, never ignore this symptom.

Fatigue

There are many women who may be experiencing this symptom. Many a times, fatigue could just be a result of excessive workload, or because of anemia or thyroid problem. However, the American Cancer Society points out that fatigue can also be an early symptom of leukemia or cancers of stomach or colon. So, in case you are getting fatigued regularly, you should always visit your physician and try to find out the reason behind it.

Any abnormal swelling in your neck or armpit

Normally the lymph nodes present in the neck and the armpit get swollen in case of any infection of the region they are draining. You may commonly encounter swollen nodes in the neck in case of some tooth infection. But if the swelling has been persisting for a long time, say about a month, is increasing in size or becoming tender, it could be a reason to worry. Enlarged tender nodes are often seen in case of malignancy and should be biopsied to find their nature.

Fever

 Any fever, which cannot be explained by some viral or bacterial infection, should be worrisome. It can be an early symptom of leukemia or lymphoma. Fever is also seen in cancers which have metastasized to other body parts.

Abnormal ulcer/growth in the mouth

A mouth ulcer is a fairly common entity. However, if an ulcer is refusing to heal for a long time, it should be biopsied. Similarly, any growth in the buccal cavity must be examined by an expert. Many a times, one may notice a white patch on the inside of the cheek. This condition is termed as leukoplakia and is a precancerous lesion.

Shortness of breath or persistent cough

Shortness of breath is often observed in patients who are asthmatic or suffering from severe anemia. However, if you are a non-asthmatic and do not suffer from anemia, and you suddenly find walking even a small distance a daunting task, get yourself thoroughly examined. It could be a cancer of the lungs or a thyroid nodule pressing on your windpipe. Likewise prolonged cough can be a symptom of leukemia or lung cancer.

The whole idea of discussing these points is that you should strike a fine balance between being a hypochondriac and an ignorant fool. Remember that not every illness is a cancer, but when you see the warning signs, do not turn a blind eye towards them.