Cancer Awareness Month: Signs you may have cancer

When we are feeling ill, we often start to panic. And one of the first places we look up our symptoms is on the internet, which then causes us to feel more anxious.

It's not usually advisable to type in your symptoms online because there are many conditions that have similar symptoms. But there are times when making that move can motivate you to go for a checkup which can actually save your life.

When it comes to a serious condition like cancer, there are common signs that you should be on the lookout for. Different types of cancers have varying warning signs but, there are some that many patients experience.

Therefore, if you've had any of these signs, it would be advisable that you visit your doctor right away so you can get tested and screened:

Unexplained weight loss

Weight loss is one of the most common indicators of cancer. In fact, as many as 40 per cent of patients confirm experiencing rapid and unexplained weight loss, as confirmed on Cancer.Net.

The reason why this happens is that cancer can cause appetite changes, interferes with digestion and can cause trouble swallowing, all of which make eating difficult.

• What to do if you feel dizzy after a meal
• Easy recipe: Pide 'Fatayer' Turkish flatbread
• Beauty of rare crunchy asparagus
• Are you unhappy?

Also, anxiety and psychological stress can contribute to this severe weight loss.

Unexplained bleeding or discharge

According to the American Cancer Society, unusual bleeding is another common sign that is associated with different types of cancer.

In breast cancer, for example, you might notice a bloody discharge from the nipples. In lung cancer, patients often cough up blood and in ovarian cancer, there will be unusually heavy or light bleeding in between periods.

So, if you notice any unusual bleeding or discharge, please visit your doctor immediately.

Skin changes

The skin is an organ just like any other organ we have. And when something is not right internally, the signs often show on our skin.

When cancer is present, there will often be unexplained changes to your skin like the appearance of dark patches, reddening of the skin and moles that are growing or changing shape as noted by the American Cancer Society.

There are also other major signs that show on the skin like the formation of lumps and sores that don't seem to heal.

Extreme fatigue

Cleveland Clinic describes Cancer-Related Fatigue (CRF) as one of the most common symptoms of cancer. This type of fatigue isn't usually because it comes even when you haven't done anything that would make you tired. Also, it doesn't go away after getting enough rest.

This happens because the cancer is stealing the important nutrients you need to function. Your immune system is also working tirelessly to fight it, depleting all your energy in the process.

Unusual pain or discomfort

Unexplained pain is also another sign to be aware of. For some patients, there isn't necessarily pain, but there will be discomfort in that specific area or in the surrounding organs.

On the Johns Hopkins Medicine website, that pain can be a result of a growing tumour that's pushing against other organs, nerves and tissues. The chemical changes happening internally can also cause pain.

Any kind of persistent, unexplained pain or discomfort shouldn't be ignored.