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Strictly speaking, there is no such disease as “cancer”. This term describes more than 200 different diseases in which normal cells begin to multiply abnormally, form a rapidly growing tumor and can infect neighboring organs.
Although cancer mortality rates have been falling for a quarter of a century, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
While you were reading this text, cancer has already claimed several lives.
In 2018, nearly 18 million people were diagnosed with cancer. Of these, in almost 5 million cases the disease could be detected at more than early stage- which means starting treatment earlier and making it more effective.
“We want people to know that many types of cancer are treatable and even completely curable, especially if the disease is detected and treated as early as possible,” says Cary Adams, head of the Alliance for International Cancer Control.
For example, if cervical cancer is diagnosed at an advanced stage, the patient's chance of living another five years does not exceed 15%. However, if the disease is detected on time, this figure rises to 93%.
- A Japanese man with schizophrenia developed cancer. He received a bone marrow transplant. Cured both cancer and schizophrenia
- Brain cancer: scientists are one step away from virtual operations
This is why it is important to undergo regular examinations. Although in Britain, for example, judging by surveys, every fourth patient does not want to go to the doctor precisely because he is afraid of hearing a terrible diagnosis.
The source of the disease can be located in any organ and can take the most different shapes. However, there are some symptoms and warning signs, having noticed which, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
Causes for concern:
Unusual knots of tissue, bloating and swelling. It must be remembered that cancerous tumors are often painless, especially in the early stages of the disease. Particular attention should be paid to the neck, testicles in men and mammary glands in women, as well as the armpits.
Persistent cough, shortness of breath or difficulty swallowing.
Changes in bowel habits. Sudden onset of constipation or, on the contrary, frequent bouts of diarrhea - especially if traces of blood can be seen in the stool.
Unexpected bleeding- including slight bleeding from the vagina, rectum, blood in the urine or sputum when coughing.
- British scientists will try to diagnose cancer by breathing
- Journey through a tumor: a virtual model of cancer was created in Cambridge
Unexplained weight loss. If you unexpectedly noticeably lost weight in a relatively short period of time (about a couple of months), this is a reason for concern and a trip to the doctor. In addition to cancer, sudden weight loss can signal a serious thyroid problem or the development of diabetes.
Chronic fatigue and a catastrophic lack of energy for familiar things - despite normal healthy sleep. Usually, if the cause of chronic fatigue is the onset of cancer, then the patient will also exhibit other symptoms.
Illustration copyright kali9/Getty ImagesUnexplained pain- of any nature and frequency: both acute attacks and aching ones; both chronic and appearing only occasionally.
The appearance of new moles or transformation of existing ones: changes in size, shape or color; hardening of the surface of the birthmark or any discharge.
Problems urinating, including more frequent or more intense urges, as well as difficulty or pain in the process.
Unusual breast changes. A cause for concern may be an unexpected change in the size or shape of the breasts, as well as changes in sensation when touched, including on the skin of the breast, or pain.
Loss of appetite. If you have a dull feeling of hunger for a long time and you begin to eat less than usual, this is also an alarming sign, even if you have no other symptoms.
Non-healing ulcer or other wound - especially in the mouth.
Chronic heartburn or other regular digestive disorders - nausea, vomiting, bloating and others.
Profuse sweating at night time.
Illustration copyright nito100/Getty ImagesHow to reduce your risk of cancer
Cancer can be caused by both genetic predisposition and external factors, including ionizing radiation, carcinogenic substances (for example, asbestos or arsenic) or pathogens.
It is impossible to completely protect against cancer, but you can significantly reduce the risk of cancer. To do this, WHO experts give five tips.
Avoid smoking and tobacco smoke. The warnings written in large letters on cigarette packs were there for a reason. Smoking or chewing tobacco can cause not only lung cancer, but also cancer of the larynx, prostate, pancreas, kidneys, Bladder and other organs.
- “My husband’s lies about him having cancer took years off my life.”
- British scientists have taught chickens to lay healing eggs
Safe sex and medical procedures. Viruses that can increase the risk of certain types of cancer are transmitted through sexual contact and also through blood, such as through sharing needles or reusable medical instruments.
Get checked regularly. Ideally, a full preventive examination by a doctor should be done every six months.
Get vaccinated. For a small fee or even free of charge, you can get vaccinated against hepatitis, human papillomavirus and other diseases, which at the same time will significantly reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
Healthy diet and active lifestyle. A balanced diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits, a good sleep schedule and at least small regular physical exercise will help you significantly increase your immunity and avoid many diseases - including cancer.
Update: December 2018
In modern oncology, early diagnosis of the tumor process plays a huge role. The further survival and quality of life of patients depends on this. Oncological alertness is very important, since cancer can manifest itself in the final stages or disguise its symptoms as other diseases.
Risk groups for developing malignant neoplasms
There are many theories about the development of cancer, but none of them gives a detailed answer as to why it still occurs. Doctors can only assume that one or another factor accelerates carcinogenesis (the growth of tumor cells).
Cancer risk factors:
- Racial and ethnic predisposition– German scientists have established a trend: melanoma occurs in white-skinned people 5 times more often than in black people.
- Diet violation– a person’s diet must be balanced; any shift in the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates can lead to metabolic disorders, and as a consequence to the occurrence of malignant neoplasms. For example, scientists have proven that excessive consumption of foods that increase cholesterol leads to the development of lung cancer, and excessive intake of easily digestible carbohydrates increases the risk of developing breast cancer. Also, the abundance of chemical additives in food (flavor enhancers, preservatives, nitrates, etc.), genetically modified products increase the risk.
- Obesity - according to American studies, overweight body increases the risk of cancer by 55% in women and 45% in men.
- Smoking - WHO doctors have proven that there is a direct cause-and-effect relationship between smoking and cancer (lips, tongue, oropharynx, bronchi, lungs). A study was conducted in the UK that showed that people who smoke 1.5-2 packs of cigarettes per day are 25 times more likely to develop lung cancer than non-smokers.
- Heredity– There are certain types of cancer that are inherited in an autosomal recessive and autosomal dominant manner, for example, ovarian cancer or familial intestinal polyposis.
- Exposure to ionizing radiation and ultraviolet rays– ionizing radiation of natural and industrial origin causes activation of pro-oncogenes of thyroid cancer, and prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays during insolation (tanning) contributes to the development of malignant melanoma of the skin.
- Immune disorders– decreased activity of the immune system (primary and secondary immunodeficiencies, iatrogenic immunosuppression) leads to the development of tumor cells.
- Professional activity– this category includes people who come into contact in the process of their labor activity with chemical carcinogens (resins, dyes, soot, heavy metals, aromatic carbohydrates, asbestos, sand) and electromagnetic radiation.
- Features of reproductive age in women– early first menstruation (under 14 years of age) and late menopause (over 55 years of age) increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer by 5 times. At the same time, pregnancy and childbirth reduce the tendency of the appearance of neoplasms of the reproductive organs
Symptoms that may be signs of cancer
- Long-term non-healing wounds, fistulas
- Discharge, ribbon-shaped stool. Impaired bladder and bowel function.
- Deformation of the mammary glands, swelling of other parts of the body.
- Sudden weight loss, loss of appetite, difficulty swallowing.
- Changes in the color and shape of moles or birthmarks
- Frequent or unusual discharge in women.
- , not amenable to therapy, .
General principles for diagnosing malignant neoplasms
After visiting a doctor, the patient should receive full information what tests indicate cancer. It is impossible to determine oncology using a blood test; it is nonspecific in relation to neoplasms. Clinical and biochemical studies are aimed primarily at determining the patient’s condition during tumor intoxication and studying the functioning of organs and systems.
A general blood test for oncology reveals:
- leukopenia or (increased or decreased white blood cells)
- shift of the leukocyte formula to the left
- anemia()
- (low platelets)
- (a constantly high ESR of more than 30 in the absence of serious complaints is a reason to sound the alarm)
A general urine test in oncology can be quite informative; for example, in case of multiple myeloma, a specific Bence-Jones protein is detected in the urine. A biochemical blood test allows you to judge the state of the urinary system, liver and protein metabolism.
Changes in biochemical analysis indicators for various neoplasms:
| Index | Result | Note |
it is possible to either exceed or decrease it |
Neoplasms usually enhance catabolic processes and protein breakdown, and nonspecifically inhibit protein synthesis. | |
| hyperproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, detection of paraprotein (M-gradient) in blood serum | Such indicators allow one to suspect myeloma (malignant plasmacytoma). | |
| Urea, creatinine |
Increased levels of urea and creatinine |
This indicates increased protein breakdown, an indirect sign of cancer intoxication, or a nonspecific decrease in kidney function |
| Increased urea with normal creatinine | Indicates the disintegration of tumor tissue. | |
| Alkaline phosphatase |
Increase in alkaline phosphatase over 270 U/l |
Indicates the presence of metastases in the liver, bone tissue, and osteogenic sarcoma. |
| An increase in the enzyme against the background of normal AST and ALT levels | Also, embryonal tumors of the ovaries, uterus, and testicles can cause ectopic placental alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme. | |
| ALT, AST |
Elevation of enzymes above the upper limit of normal |
Indicates nonspecific breakdown of liver cells (hepatocytes), which can be caused by both inflammatory and cancer processes. |
| Cholesterol |
The decrease in the indicator is less than the lower limit of normal |
Talking about malignant neoplasms liver (since cholesterol is formed in the liver) |
| Potassium |
Increase in electrolyte level with normal level Na |
Indicative of cancer cachexia |
A blood test for oncology also involves examining the hemostasis system. Due to the release of tumor cells and their fragments into the blood, it is possible to increase blood clotting (hypercoagulation) and microthrombosis, which impede the movement of blood through the vascular bed.
In addition to tests to determine cancer, there are a number of instrumental studies, facilitating the diagnosis of malignant neoplasms:
- Survey radiography in frontal and lateral projection
- Contrast radiography (irrigography, hysterosalpingography)
- Computed tomography (with and without contrast)
- Magnetic resonance imaging (with and without contrast)
- Radionuclide method
- Ultrasound examination with Dopplerography
- Endoscopic examination (fibrogastroscopy, bronchoscopy).
Stomach cancer
Stomach cancer is the second most common tumor among the population (after lung cancer).
- Fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy is the golden method for diagnosing gastric cancer and is necessarily accompanied by a large number of biopsies in different areas of the tumor and unchanged gastric mucosa.
- X-ray of the stomach using oral contrast (barium mixture) - a method that was quite popular before the introduction of endoscopes into practice, allows you to see a filling defect in the stomach on an X-ray.
- Ultrasound examination of organs abdominal cavity, CT, MRI - used to search for metastases in lymph nodes and other organs digestive system(liver, spleen).
- Immunological blood test - shows stomach cancer in the early stages, when the tumor itself is not yet visible to the human eye (CA 72-4, CEA and others)
Diagnosis of colon cancer
- Digital examination of the rectum - detects cancer at a distance of 9-11 cm from the anus, allows you to assess the mobility of the tumor, its elasticity, and the condition of neighboring tissues;
- Colonoscopy - insertion of a video endoscope into the rectum - visualizes the cancerous infiltrate up to the bauhinium valve, allows for a biopsy of suspicious areas of the intestine;
- Irrigoscopy – radiology of the large intestine using double contrast (contrast-air);
- Ultrasound of the pelvic organs, CT, MRI, virtual colonoscopy - visualize the germination of colon cancer and the condition of adjacent organs;
- Determination of tumor markers – CEA, C 19-9, Sialosyl – TN
Mammary cancer
This malignant tumor occupies leading place among female neoplasms. Such disappointing statistics are to some extent due to the low qualifications of doctors who perform unprofessional examinations of the mammary glands.
- Palpation of the gland allows you to identify lumps and swellings in the thickness of the organ and suspect a tumor process.
- Breast radiography (mammography) is one of the most important methods for detecting non-palpable tumors. For greater information content, artificial contrast is used:
- pneumocystography (removal of fluid from the tumor and introduction of air into it) - allows to identify parietal formations;
- ductography - the method is based on the introduction of a contrast agent into the milk ducts; visualizes the structure and contours of the ducts, and abnormal formations in them.
- Sonography and Dopplerography of the mammary glands - the results of clinical studies have proven the high effectiveness of this method in detecting microscopic intraductal cancer and abundantly supplied blood tumors.
- Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging - allow us to evaluate the invasion of breast cancer into nearby organs, the presence of metastases and damage to regional lymph nodes.
- Immunological tests for breast cancer (tumor markers) - CA-15-3, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), CA-72-4, prolactin, estradiol, TPS.
Thyroid cancer
Due to the increase in radiation and exposure of people over the past 30 years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has increased 1.5 times. Basic diagnostic methods:
- Ultrasound + Dopplerography of the thyroid gland is a fairly informative method, non-invasive and does not carry radiation exposure.
- Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are used to diagnose the spread of the tumor process beyond the thyroid gland and identify metastases to neighboring organs.
- Positron emission tomography is a three-dimensional technique, the use of which is based on the property of a radioisotope to accumulate in the tissues of the thyroid gland.
- Radioisotope scintigraphy is a method also based on the ability of radionuclides (or rather iodine) to accumulate in the tissues of the gland, but unlike tomography, it indicates the difference in the accumulation of radioactive iodine in healthy and tumor tissue. Cancer infiltrate can take the form of a “cold” (not absorbing iodine) and “hot” (absorbing iodine in excess) focus.
- Fine needle aspiration biopsy - allows for a biopsy and subsequent cytological examination of cancer cells, identifies special genetic markers hTERT, EMC1, TMPRSS4 of thyroid cancer.
- Determination of galectin-3 protein, which belongs to the class of lectins. This peptide takes part in the growth and development of tumor vessels, its metastasis and suppression of the immune system (including apoptosis). The diagnostic accuracy of this marker for malignant neoplasms of the thyroid gland is 92-95%.
- Relapse of thyroid cancer is characterized by a decrease in the level of thyroglobulin and an increase in the concentration of tumor markers EGFR, HBME-1
Esophageal carcinoma
Cancer mainly affects the lower third of the esophagus and is usually preceded by intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia. The average incidence is 3.0% per 10,000 population.
- X-ray contrast examination of the esophagus and stomach using barium sulfate is recommended to clarify the degree of patency of the esophagus.
- Fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy allows you to see cancer with your own eyes, and an improved videoscopic technique displays an image of esophageal cancer on a large screen. During the study, a biopsy of the tumor is required, followed by cytological diagnosis.
- Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging - visualize the degree of tumor invasion into neighboring organs, determine the condition of regional groups of lymph nodes.
- Fiberoptic bronchoscopy is mandatory when cancer compresses the esophagus of the tracheobronchial tree and allows you to assess the extent of the diameter of the airways.
Tumor markers - immunological diagnosis of tumors
The essence of immunological diagnostics is the detection of specific tumor antigens or tumor markers. They are quite specific to specific types of cancer. A blood test for tumor markers for primary diagnosis does not have practical application, but allows you to determine the earlier occurrence of relapse and prevent the spread of cancer. There are more than 200 types of cancer markers in the world, but only about 30 have diagnostic value.
Doctors have the following requirements for tumor markers:
- Must be highly sensitive and specific
- The tumor marker must be released only by malignant tumor cells, and not by the body’s own cells
- The tumor marker must indicate one specific tumor
- Blood test values for tumor markers should increase as cancer progresses
Classification of tumor markers
All tumor markers: click to enlarge
According to biochemical structure:
- Oncofetal and oncoplacental (REA, hCG, alpha-fetoprotein)
- Tumor-associated glycoproteins (CA 125, CA 19-9. CA 15-3)
- Keratoproteins (UBC, SCC, TPA, TPS)
- Enzymatic proteins (PSA, neuron-specific enolase)
- Hormones (calcitonin)
- Other structure (ferritin, IL-10)
By value for the diagnostic process:
- The main one is that it has maximum sensitivity and specificity for a specific tumor.
- Secondary - has low specificity and sensitivity, is used in combination with the main tumor marker.
- Additional – detected with many neoplasms.
| Cancer marker | Indicator norm | Neoplasm in which it is detected |
| Bence Jones protein | norm - absent | Myeloma (malignant plasmacytoma), B-cell leukemia |
| Alpha fetoprotein | normal – less than 22 ng/ml | Hepatocellular cancer, germinal cancers (ovarian, testicular and other cancers) |
| Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) | less than 5 units/ml | Colorectal tumors (colon cancer), breast cancer, lung cancer |
| SA-125 | less than 30 units/ml | Ovarian cancer |
| Prostate antigen (PSA – prostate specific antigen) | less than 5 ng/ml | |
| Chorionic gonadotropin (CG) | ||
| NSE – neuron-specific enolase | 12 ng/ml | Small cell lung cancer, neuroendocrine tumors |
| CYFRA 21-1 | less than 2 ng/ml | |
| Calcitonin | 0-30 pg/ml |
Cancer is a malignant tumor that can form in any organ, and it only grows over time. The structure of the tumor depends on the person’s age and the presence of other diseases. Before describing the symptoms, you need to understand what cancer is.
Article content:
What is cancer (disease)
Cancer is mainly described depending on its location in the body; if the disease appears in the gastrointestinal tract, a sharp weight loss occurs, called cachexia, followed by anemia. If cancer affects the liver, a person feels exhausted and metabolism slows down. The localization of the malignant tumor demonstrates the clinical picture; if it is located in the final part of the stomach, symptoms of stenosis will appear. Because of this, food will not enter the intestines. But if the disease appears in the initial part of the stomach, then dysphagia will appear - food will not enter the stomach or will enter, but in small quantities.Subsequently, at a late stage of the disease, all symptoms intensify, but they are not associated with the main cancer tumor, but with metastases that have penetrated deep into the tissues of the body. For example, symptoms of lung cancer can be expressed through the brain if metastases penetrate into it. For example, doctors say that prostate cancer can only be diagnosed after checking the bones; if there is pain and metastases in the bones, this indicates prostate cancer.
All malignant tumors, not including local symptoms, which are associated with only one organ, have certain general symptoms. The further the tumor develops, the more it destroys internal organs, including the most important systems of the body. Over time, changes occur in the metabolism, endocrine, nervous and immune systems. Because of this, the tumor has a double effect, either it destroys only one organ, or it destroys the entire system. When exposed to one organ, the tumor poisons healthy tissue that is located in proximity to the tumor. The local influence of a cancerous tumor is revealed during testing if the patient complains of certain symptoms. There are several groups of cancer symptoms: obstruction, destruction, compression. Each group has its own characteristics: destruction - destruction of the tumor, obturation - narrowing of the lumen of the organ, compression - pressure on the organ.
Why is it important to confirm/refute cancer symptoms?
There is a chance of curing the disease if it is identified as early as possible and treatment is started immediately. A person can immediately be examined and detect cancer when it has not yet developed and the tumor is not huge. This means that the cancer has not had time to affect other organs, it is not large and can be cured. As a rule, doctors prescribe surgery to completely remove the cancerous tumor; this method can cure cancer in the first stages. It is imperative to begin treatment if skin melanoma is present; it can be removed quite simply if it has not deepened or pierced the inner layers of the skin. But very often melanoma develops at a rapid pace and penetrates too deeply, so it is impossible to carry out any treatment, only if it has not yet deepened. A person has 5 years to undergo treatment if the melanoma is not very advanced.Often a psychological factor is triggered - a person is afraid to see a doctor, he believes that surgery or cancer treatment can cause complications, and he tries to ignore any symptoms that he notices. Of course, symptoms such as fatigue and diarrhea do not necessarily indicate cancer, but they may indicate its presence and should be checked anyway. Also, a girl may think that standard uterine fibroids and cysts do not indicate the presence of cancer, perhaps this is a common disease that will go away with time. But what stronger man ignores the symptoms, the greater the chance that the disease will deepen and after some time become incurable. Very often, completely healthy people discover that they have cancer after undergoing tests, but they did not have any symptoms, and if a person has at least one symptom related to cancer, they need to go to the doctor immediately.
Five common signs of cancer
You need to understand what the nonspecific symptoms of this disease are. Firstly, a person may suddenly lose weight without any reason, or there will be changes in skin color and acne. Secondly, the presence of any infection is indicated by a high temperature, cancer is no exception. Of course, there are also general symptoms that apply to all diseases combined, but still remember the main symptoms of cancer in order to see a doctor in time.- Sudden weight loss – Almost all people diagnosed with cancer have lost most of their weight during their illness. If you lose at least 5-7 kilograms without obvious reasons, you need to be checked at the hospital for cancer. This may be related to gastrointestinal cancer.
- Fever (high temperature) – a high temperature indicates the presence of cancer, especially if it affects entire organ systems. Basically, fever is due to the fact that cancer negatively affects the immune system, and the body fights the infection and activates its powers, unfortunately, unsuccessfully. But fever does not appear at the initial stage of cancer, so if there were no other symptoms before the fever, it may not be cancer.
- Weakness – weakness increases gradually as the disease penetrates deep into the body. But fatigue can develop at the very beginning after damage to the body, for example, if hemorrhage occurs in the stomach or large intestine. Due to blood loss, severe fatigue and discomfort appear within the body.
- Painful sensations – pain appears in the initial stages of the disease if there are several tumors in the body. Often pain indicates damage to an entire system of the body.
- Changes in the epidermis - hyperpigmentation occurs, jaundice, erythema, urticaria, and so on appear. Tumors may appear on the skin and hair may grow more rapidly, indicating the presence of cancer.
Seven Cancer Symptoms That Need Attention
Above we have listed the main nonspecific symptoms, but you also need to know the main symptoms with which you can determine the presence of the disease. It’s worth mentioning right away that the symptoms do not occur in all cases, moreover, they are common to other diseases. But you still need to immediately contact a therapist and tell about all the symptoms so that he can prescribe tests and a full medical examination of the body.- Violations in genitourinary system and stool disorders - chronic constipation or diarrhea often occur, the amount of stool and its color may change, which indicates colon cancer. If you experience pain when urinating and you see blood in your urine, you should consult a doctor immediately. Often there are too frequent urges urination for no apparent reason, which indicates problems with the prostate gland.
- Ulcers and wounds do not go away for a long time - very often tumors look like an ulcer, and at the same time they bleed heavily. If there is a small sore in the mouth that constantly does not go away, this is a sign of mouth cancer. It occurs most often in smokers and alcoholics. If there are ulcers on the vagina or penis, you should immediately undergo examination, as this indicates a serious infection of the body.
- Strange discharge of pus or blood - if the disease has developed for a long time and you have not noticed it, strange bleeding or discharge of pus may begin. For example, if when you cough you cough up pus with blood, this is lung cancer, and if blood is found in the stool, then this is colon cancer. If you have cervical cancer, there is a chance of bleeding from the vagina, and if blood appears in the urine, it is bladder cancer, and the kidneys may also be infected. If blood comes out of the nipple, this indicates breast cancer.
- Small lumps in any part of the body - if a lump is felt through the skin in the testicles, breasts and other soft tissues, this indicates the presence of cancer. Moreover, it is impossible to say for sure whether this is an initial form or an advanced one, but if you notice a lump, tell your doctor immediately. Over time it will increase.
- Difficulty swallowing and problems with the gastrointestinal tract - very often the symptoms indicate stomach or intestinal cancer; consult a doctor immediately.
- The appearance of moles or warts - if you already had moles and they became larger or changed color, you should consult a doctor. It is quite possible that this is melanoma, and if examined, it can be cured at the initial stage.
- A hoarse voice or a strong cough - a persistent cough indicates lung cancer; if the voice disappears, it is a cancer of the thyroid gland or throat.
Atypical cancer symptoms
Far from the most common symptoms of cancer, which also indicate the development of the disease:- The appearance of ulcers on the tongue and mouth;
- Changes in the color of warts and moles, changes in their size;
- Sore throat, severe and painful cough;
- Thickenings and nodes in the nipples, dense lumps in the testicles, mammary glands and other places;
- Painful sensations when urinating;
- Strange discharge of pus and blood;
- Problems with swallowing and abdominal pain, especially in older people;
- Severe migraine;
- Sudden loss of appetite or weight;
- An increase or decrease in temperature for no reason indicates the presence of cancer;
- Persistent infection for no apparent reason;
- Violation of the menstrual cycle;
- Tumors that cannot be treated;
- Redness of the lips and skin, yellowness in the eyes and skin;
- Strange swelling that has never appeared before;
- Bad breath.
Symptoms of cancer of different organs
- Stomach cancer
Only when the cancer has deepened and penetrated into the tissues of the body does a person develop strong symptoms: severe pain in the stomach that can be felt even in the back, increased weakness and reluctance to do anything, sudden weight loss over a long period of time. Doctors pay attention to the skin; it becomes very pale, and in some cases takes on an earthy tint. But at the initial stage, the skin color remains the same.
Main symptoms: nipple retraction and hardening, bloody and unclear discharge from the nipple. Very often cancer is accompanied without pain, but in the presence of mastopathy, the pain appears and intensifies every day.
- Skin cancer
- Rectal cancer
- Lungs' cancer
If the cancer has formed in the lung tissue, then the disease will pass without any symptoms, which only complicates the situation because the person does not undergo a medical examination. If you take an x-ray, you can identify the initial tumor.
- Uterine cancer
There is a category of people who constantly look for symptoms of cancer, even in the absence of any reason for this: nutrition is correct, lifestyle is healthy, bad habits- excluded. Such people regularly undergo all kinds of examinations, take tests, listen to the slightest signals from the body. Of course, with gloomy thoughts they somewhat poison the lives of themselves and the doctors they know, but at the same time they can really recognize the signs of the disease at the beginning of its development.
The other category is not sick with anything, is not looking for anything, they undergo fluorography or a gynecologist because they demanded it at work. Such self-confidence often prevents a person from thinking about his health, paying attention to some unusual symptoms and quickly going to the doctor.
However, as you know, cancer does not choose profession, status, age, it’s just that the probability of getting sick in a risk group is much higher, which is what he’s trying to convey modern medicine, designed to fight diseases that are difficult to treat, and in advanced stages cannot be treated at all.
Immune system error - "evil" result
Propaganda that directs people to healthy image life, unfortunately, is not always effective. Drinking and smoking are harmful, being nervous too, and eating even more so, because any unfavorable factor can trigger the development of a malignant tumor, which, as is known, arises from one normal cell, degenerated and transformed for one reason or another into a cancerous one. Spontaneous mutations occur in human body constantly, but not all of them end in cancer, so it is impossible to feel when, on what day, hour or minute the “evil” cell appeared and why the immune system I didn’t “recognize” her.
IN healthy body the immune system will quickly detect evil and destroy it, but if the latter is reduced, the protective forces are lost, and the immune system becomes unable to recognize and eliminate the “foreign”, thus allowing it to multiply. This is how the cancer begins to grow.
Cancer cells multiply quickly and aggressively, but they also have different abilities. How quickly the process goes depends on the type of tumor and its location. Thus, The initial symptoms and signs of cancer are determined by many parameters:
- The degree of malignancy of neoplasia;
- Localization of the process;
- The size of the tumor and the involvement of “neighbors” (nearby organs);
- Stage of the disease (as a rule, in stage 1 cancer is practically asymptomatic, while stage 4 is very difficult, painful and ends in death).
The first signs of cancer are practically no different from the symptoms of other diseases, including benign ones, so if a person feels a headache or weakness, it is unlikely that he will run to the doctor for a diagnosis. Meanwhile, there are certain signals that indicate trouble, which for certain tumors can probably be considered the primary symptoms of cancer.
Cancer hides under different “masks”
Most malignant tumors at the first stage do not manifest themselves in any way, so they go unnoticed, the person continues to consider himself healthy, lives, works and makes plans for the future. Meanwhile, General symptoms of cancer, if you pay attention to them, gradually begin to appear:
Thus, it is obvious that the general symptoms of cancer in most cases are signs of general ill health of the body and are characteristic of many pathological conditions, therefore, for self-diagnosis, which many patients love so much, it would probably be useful to introduce them to specific manifestations the most common cancers.
Open confrontation
Having “felt” victory over the body, the cancer begins to reveal itself, and then its specific symptoms and signs appear, which allow the patient to suspect a malignant process. For each tumor location, the initial signals are different, so we will try to briefly describe some of them.
Lungs
Morphologically, this process can be represented in this way: tissue cells in some vulnerable place begin to actively proliferate, which leads to atypical tissue growth. In the formed focus, the cells change and lose their functional abilities, which is clearly visible when microscopic examination(atypia). Dysplasia, which is often diagnosed in the cervix, is a typical example of a precancerous condition and is included in the risk group for cervical cancer.
Threatening or obligate neoplasia (precancer) is spoken of in the case of diseases that, if untreated, one way or another transform into cancer, although it is unknown when this can happen: in a month or in a few years. Patients who do not wish to undergo treatment should understand that precancer can be considered initial stage oncological process, therefore non-invasive tumor (in situ) must be radically eliminated. This gives hope for a full recovery.
Video: warning signs of cancer
