When it comes to cancer, some symptoms are obvious, such as lumps or abnormal moles. But other symptoms can be more mild, and you may not even realize they\u2019re connected to an illness. In these cases, it\u2019s important to be aware of some more subtle cancer warning signs that can often go unnoticed. Thankfully, there are plenty of instances where these symptoms can mean something harmless, but since occasionally they may not be, it\u2019s important you see a medical professional to get checked out.<\/p>\n
It is important not to jump to conclusions if you have any of these symptoms because \u201cmany symptoms are the result of benign conditions,\u201d Dr. Adrienne A. Phillips, a hematologist at New York-Presbyterian\/Weill Cornell Medicine, tells Bustle. \u201cHowever there are subtle symptoms that may be due to a malignancy (cancer) and should be checked out promptly. These symptoms should not be ignored or denied because early detection of cancer greatly increases the chances for successful treatment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Just because you may be experiencing some of these things doesn\u2019t mean you should panic, but it can\u2019t hurt to see your physician to double check that everything is OK. Paying attention to your body and regularly getting check ups can help ensure you stay healthy. Here are eight subtle cancer warning signs you should never ignore, according to experts.<\/p>\n
1Irregular Appetite
\nAppetite changes, whether it\u2019s loss of appetite or feeling full too quickly, are not something that should be taken lightly. \u201cEarly satiety means that you have a poor appetite and feel full after only a small amount of food,\u201d Dr. Phillips says. \u201cCancers of the abdomen (eg. intestinal cancers, ovarian cancers) as well as an enlarged spleen, which is associated with some blood cancers, may actually be the culprit.\u201d While there may be other gut issues that can be to blame, it never hurts to get it checked out.<\/p>\n
2Unintentional Weight Loss
\n\u201cIf your weight loss occurs without change in diet or exercise, it may be an early warning sign of cancer, most commonly pancreatic, stomach, esophageal, or lung cancer,\u201d Dr. Phillips says. \u201cIn these conditions, weight loss is the result of an imbalance in metabolism \u2014 essentially the energy the cancer demands is not being replaced.\u201d Again, if you have concerns, it\u2019s best to see a doctor.<\/p>\n
3Gum Bleeding
\nThere are number of reasons your gums could be bleeding \u2014 brushing your teeth too vigorously, for example \u2014 but in some cases, gum bleeding can also be a sign of leukemia. \u201cWith leukemia, your blood platelets \u2014 the cells that stop your body from bleeding \u2014 may be low, making it harder for you to stop bleeding in different parts of your body, including your gums,\u201d Dr. Phillips says. \u201cAlso, some leukemias cause your gums to become swollen and bleed more easily.\u201d<\/p>\n
4Pelvic Cramping
\nCramping during your period is common, but if you\u2019re experiencing persistent, painful pelvic cramping, see a doctor. \u201cPelvic cramping in women is often explained away as normal hormonal changes, constipation, or an upset stomach, but it can be a warning sign of ovarian cancer, especially if combined with bloating,\u201d Marleen I. Meyers, MD, medical oncologist at Perlmutter Cancer Center, tells Bustle. If cramping doesn\u2019t seem to go away, it may be best to check in with your OB\/GYN.<\/p>\n
5Spotting During Sex
\nRegularly bleeding after sex is another symptom you should be sure to look into. \u201cMany people feel this is normal, especially if someone has irregular periods or vaginal dryness,\u201d Dr. Meyers says. \u201cBut this may be a sign of cervical cancer.\u201d<\/p>\n
6Worsening Headaches
\nHeadaches are very common and are not always associated with a tumor, but changes in frequency, type, or intensity of headaches should prompt neurological evaluation. \u201cHeadaches typically are due to the tumor size and growth rate,\u201d neuro-oncologist and neuroscientist Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD, tells Bustle. \u201cSo larger tumors and faster-growing tumors cause an increase in pressure in the brain, resulting in activation of pain receptors on the coverings of the brain, resulting in a headache. The brain itself has no pain receptors. A small, fast-growing tumor can cause as severe of a headache as a large, but slow-growing tumor.\u201d<\/p>\n
7Memory Changes
\nSome signs of cancer can be cognitive as well. \u201cPatients can be present with forgetfulness and short-term memory loss, and it usually suggests involvement of temporal or frontal lobes of the brain where memory functions reside,\u201d Dr. Kesari says. \u201cSometimes it can occur over months to years, and [the person is] thought to have a dementia condition before imaging is done to reveal a brain tumor.\u201d<\/p>\n
8Nipple Changes
\nAlthough it\u2019s not always the case, changes in your nipple, areola, or skin of your breast can be a sign of breast cancer. \u201cThese include a retraction or inward pulling of any of these structures, discoloration, or a change in texture such as puffiness,\u201d Richard Reitherman, MD, PhD, medical director of breast imaging at MemorialCare Breast Center, tells Bustle. \u201cThese changes may be noticeable only in certain positions relative to gravity, so it is important to check for this category of change when you are lying down on your back, rolling side to side, bending over, or upright facing a mirror while positioning your hands behind your neck.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you experience any of these symptoms, be sure to see your doctor for evaluation. There are many cases where they don\u2019t indicate cancer, but it\u2019s always worth it to get checked.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
When it comes to cancer, some symptoms are obvious, such as lumps or abnormal moles. But other symptoms can be more mild, and you may<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12384,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12383"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12383\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12385,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12383\/revisions\/12385"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12384"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/storieshub.xyz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}