Doctor reveals 5 cancer symptoms that are often dismissed as aging or stress
A doctor has revealed the five changes to your health you should never ignore as they could be a sign of cancer.
Cancer symptoms are often dismissed, either by healthcare providers or by the individual themself.
Lydia Southam, for example, was dismissed by doctors on numerous occasions after she was concerned about the frequent bloating, urination, heavy periods and stomach lumps she was experiencing.
After two years of back-and-forth, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer.
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Meanwhile, Jessica Zbinden-Webster thought she simply had a 'blocked pore' on her face which later turned to be skin cancer.
It's easy to do, and now Dr. Jad Chahoud, an oncologist and chief scientific and innovation officer with Orlando Health Cancer Institute, has revealed the five signs he believes should never been ignored – particular in those who are older.
Speaking to the New York Post, Dr. Chahoud shared: "Older adults take longer to recognize that a symptom might be serious, in part because they attribute changes to aging rather than disease.
"I would estimate that a significant proportion of patients can look back and identify symptoms that were present for weeks or months before diagnosis but were attributed to aging, stress, work, a prior injury, menopause, or other common conditions."
While he doesn't want his patients to panic over every possible symptom, he does urge them to be wary of 'persistent changes'.
These are the kind of changes Dr. Chahoud says you shouldn't dismiss...
Fatigue
We've all been more tired than usual at different points of our lives, but Dr. Chahoud says that persistent, unexplained fatigue can sometimes be associated with cancer.
"The key red flag: fatigue that is disproportionate to activity, progressive and not relieved by rest," he said.
Fatigue can be associated with colon cancer and kidney cancer, as well as blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma.
Weight loss
If you're losing weight without trying, this could be a major concern and might be linked to cancers such as pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, and colorectal cancer.
He urged people who have had loss of 5 percent or more body weight over the course of six to 12 months without an obvious reason to go get checked out.
Bowel habits
Your poop and bowel movements are key indicators for your health, says Dr. Chahoud.
While things like constipation and diarrhea, bowel issues, can be impacted by your diet, these things can also warning sign of colorectal cancer – which Dawsons Creek star James Van Der Beek sadly died of at the age of 48 in February.
Things to be wary of in particular are changes to the shape, size, consistency or frequency of your poo.
Urinary symptoms
If you're peeing more than usual – so much so that you're waking up frequently in the night – or notice blood in your urine, it's time for a trip to the doctors.
These symptoms are commonly associated with prostate cancer, which older men are more at risk of developing.
Clarksons Farm star Jeremy Clarkson recently went public with his own prostate cancer diagnosis and has since urged other men to go get checked.
Persistent aches, pains or back pain
Of course you get more achey as you get older, but sometimes the pain can come from more than ageing.
Dr. Chahoud says: "While most pain is not cancer, persistent or acute progressive pain can occasionally be associated with cancers involving the bones, kidneys, pancreas or other organs."
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Niamh Shackleton