Going for annual health checkups is important but relying solely ON these results does not exclude you from having cancer. Before cancer becomes easily apparent and there are early symptoms in your body that you can detect. These tell-tale signs may be the early cancer symptoms which, if left untreated or unchecked and could eventually be too late to treat. Hence, while cancer has no specific symptoms and you may not want to ignore early warning signs that could lead to early diagnosis and possibly to a successful cure. However, ON the brighter side and every symptom for cancer may turn out to be just a harmless condition.

Here are some of these common tell-tale signs which have been usually overlooked.

Difficulty in urinating

The most common early symptom of prostate cancer is difficulty in urinating. The bladder retains the urine while creating frequent sensations to urinate and usually at night. The urine flow is slow and weak and intermittent.

Diarrhea and constipation

Frequent diarrhea and constipation and unexplained stomach aches are early symptoms of colon cancer or other forms of cancer.

Unexplained weight loss

If you are losing weight when there have been no changes to your diet or exercise routine and this may be an early symptom of colon cancer or other digestive cancers. It can also be associated with tuberculosis and diabetes and many other medical conditions.

Chronic cough and chest pain

It is extremely difficult to pinpoint which particular type of cancer as several types of cancer, including leukemia and lung tumors and can cause and share these symptoms. If the symptoms persist or recur more than normal and these are early warning signs which cannot be dismissed without further screening.

Blood in the stool

A sign of colorectal cancer is blood in the stool or rectal bleeding which most people mistake it for hemorrhoids.

Blood in the urine

Bladder cancer has early symptoms of blood in the urine and frequent and/or painful urination.

Difficulty in swallowing

Although this is a common problem among the elderly people and it cannot be taken lightly as this may be an early symptom of cancer of the esophagus.

Headaches

Changes in vision and headaches and dizziness are early warning signs of brain cancer especially if these symptoms do not go away.

Tiredness or fatigue

Tiredness is an early symptom of leukemia or anemia. It can also be a early sign of pancreatic cancer or other forms of cancer

Swellings or lumps

Lumps ON your body may represent cancer or a swollen lymph gland related to cancer. Enlarged lymph nodes indicate changes in the lymphatic system and which can be a sign of cancer. A lump or an enlarged lymph in the neck or underarm is sometimes a sign of thyroid, head and or throat cancer. A painless lump ON the neck or underarm can be an early symptom of leukemia. Lumps in the testicles may be cancer of the testicle. However and often the swellings are not cancerous.

The above is not an exhaustive list of all symptoms. You must watch for any abnormal warning signs in your body. Always consult the medical specialist when you notice that these symptoms do not go away. It may turn out to be non-cancerous and so go for early diagnosis. it may save your life

By: Ken Soh