Symptoms and treatment of cancer. The first symptoms of cancer: how to recognize oncology in the early stages How to know that you have cancer

Cancer is one of the most feared diseases in the world today. This is a malignant neoplasm (tumor) that develops from epithelial cells of various organs (mucosa, skin, internal organs). With timely detection of cancer, death can be avoided and conservative methods of treatment can be dispensed with.

Cancer causes and symptoms

According to statistics, mortality caused by oncological diseases ranks second after cardiovascular pathology. More than 6 million people are diagnosed with cancer every year. The main characteristic of this malignant tumor is a violation of the structure of tissues and the loss of the ability of cells to differentiate. Cancer cells with blood flow aggressively spread throughout the body, where they form secondary tumor foci (metastases).

Tumors are either benign or malignant. There is a great variety of cancers: cervical cancer, upper lip cancer, vaginal cancer, larynx cancer, thyroid cancer, etc.

The manifestation of symptoms of the disease largely depends on the location of the cancerous tumor, its growth rate, and the presence of metastases.

How to define oncology?

Definition of oncology - characteristic features

Cancer can be determined by a change in the condition of the skin in the form of a growing swelling in a limited area. These swellings sometimes ulcerate, deep ulcers appear that are difficult to treat.

There are a number of other signs of cancer that are not related to its location in the body: appetite decreases, groundless, sudden weakness appears, the patient loses a lot of weight, anemia in the blood, and a person also develops an aversion to meat.

In order to determine the patient's oncological disease, he can be offered specific and non-specific tests. An experienced oncologist is well aware of how oncology can be determined in a particular case. It would seem, at first glance, a routine examination can tell a lot, especially when it comes to suspected prostate cancer, melanoma, breast, uterus, lymphatic system disease. And general urine and blood tests can raise the suspicion of possible damage to the kidney, bladder or rectum.

One general rule applies here: non-specific simple tests often indicate an advanced oncological disease. If there are no obvious signs of the disease, but you want to be completely confident in your health, you need to conduct an in-depth examination.

Oncology diagnostics

How to determine oncology by analysis?

Firstly, it is necessary to conduct an initial examination and clarifying instrumental diagnostics: ultrasound and X-ray examination of the pelvic organs and abdominal cavity, thyroid and mammary glands, endoscopic examination of the bladder, intestines and stomach. To examine the lungs, an x-ray will first be enough.

More detailed information allowing to determine the disease is given by computed tomography of the abdominal and thoracic cavities.

Magnetic resonance imaging is indispensable for examining the brain and spinal cord. However, this method is quite expensive and therefore less accessible.

In order not to torment yourself with thoughts about how to determine oncology, you need to start with a simple one: men need to visit a urologist every year, and women need a mammologist and a gynecologist.

In some cases, a blood test for tumor markers is done. With cancer of the bladder, ovaries, intestines and prostate, the probability of their detection is very high.

Sometimes, to clarify the diagnosis, a diagnostic puncture of a seal, tumor, or cyst is performed exactly from the place that is suspicious. The resulting cell material is sent for microscopic examination.

If the organ is located deep enough, and it is not possible to perform a puncture, the operation provides material for research and clarification of the diagnosis.

Modern methods of examination make it possible to detect cancer at an early stage, when it is still well treatable. But for this it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner, after which anamnesis and thorough analyzes will be taken.

In addition, in the question of how to determine cancer at the present stage, the latest medical equipment allows: computed tomography, radiography, endoscopy, biopsy, puncture. Therefore, if you notice even the slightest manifestation of any of the above symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor for an examination.

Cancer is a malignant neoplasm that is constantly growing and as a result can metastasize first to the nearest tissues, organs and lymph nodes, and then through the blood to any place in the body.

Before considering all the symptoms of cancer, it is necessary to clarify one small detail for readers. You must understand that even the totality of any signs may not necessarily indicate a malignant cancer. Often these are common diseases, infection, inflammation, which can manifest themselves in the same way.

Cancer of organs is only in the initial stages tied to a specific tissue, later, after development in phase 4, the tumor begins to spread metastases that can cover any organs.

To find out exactly if you have an oncological disease, you must pass, for biochemistry and. And after confirmation, connect additional diagnostic methods: MRI, CT, ultrasound, etc. Consider all the common symptoms of cancer and how to recognize oncology?

Headache

If you have a constant headache for no apparent reason in one place, then this may also indicate brain cancer. At the same time, donating blood for tumor markers is not worth it, since the tumor does not have a specific antigen and it is better to immediately go for an MRI.

tumor markers

• Bun S100

Birthmarks of an unusual and strange shape

Usually strange moles that are irregular in shape, as well as strange age spots, indicate melanoma or skin cancer. You can go first of all to donate blood for the oncomarker S-100.

Elevated temperature

If you constantly have chills, fever without additional reasons - snot and other signs indicating a cold. It is impossible to say what kind of cancer this symptom indicates. Therefore, first of all, you need to pass a general and biochemical blood test. The temperature in cancer lasts quite a long time.

Lumps in the chest

Usually indicates breast cancer in women. On palpation, it is necessary to note exactly the solid clots inside the mammary gland. In the aggregate, any mucous fluids with an unpleasant odor may be released from the chest. In this case, you should immediately go to a mammologist, who, after examination, will send you to an oncologist for examinations.

tumor markers

• SA 15-3

Deteriorated condition of nails and hair

When the tumor is actively developing, a large amount of antibodies and waste products are produced in the blood, and severe inflammation is possible. Plus, the neoplasm itself consumes a large amount of energy and nutrients for growth. Therefore, nails and hair may not be enough. In this case, the hair may fall out, their color becomes dull, and the nails become brittle and constantly peel off.

Bleeding from the vagina

Usually indicates cancer of the body of the uterus, ovaries. In addition, the lower abdomen may hurt. In the intermenstrual period, there may be heavy bleeding, and it also happens that blood is present in the urine.

tumor markers

• SA 125

NOTE! To quickly diagnose uterine cancer, you just need to visit a gynecologist once a year, who can recognize the disease in time. At the same time, a neoplasm is very clearly visible on the cervix.

Frequent fainting

If fainting occurs for no known reason. That could indicate brain cancer. In this case, a clinical and biochemical blood test is given, and then the doctor is already looking at the test results.

Bumps on the bones

If you have hard lumps on your legs, arms, thigh, or shoulder, then this may indicate bone cancer. But you must understand that they could arise from bruises or fractures. You should immediately consult a doctor and take an X-ray of the bones.

tumor markers

• TRAP 5b

Distractedness and memory impairment

Indicates that a cancerous tumor has begun to grow seriously in the head. This is due to the fact that the tumor uses a lot of resources for its growth.

Decreased appetite

This is accompanied by significant weight loss. It can indicate both cancer of the gastrointestinal tract, and on. At later stages, it can refer to almost any oncology.

Profuse sweating

If everything was fine with you before, and then you abruptly began to constantly sweat, even in a cool room, then this may indicate a violation of the nervous system. Usually refers to a number of malignancies in the neuroendocrine region.

Heat

If you feel hot flashes in your face and throughout your body at different intervals, then this may indicate cancer of the endocrine system.

Mood change

It can indicate both brain cancer and some tumors that affect the hormonal background of a woman.

vision loss

Indicates malignant neoplasms of the optic nerve. But it may be due to severe stress, physical shocks or external factors. Also, vision falls due to genetics. Against the background, general well-being worsens.

Abdominal pain

May indicate cancer of the stomach, pancreas, or intestines. At the same time, the type of pain is similar to gastritis or an ulcer. In this case, it is imperative to undergo an examination of fibrogastroduodenoscopy (FGDS) and fluoroscopy of the stomach. The disadvantage of this group of oncology is that the first signs of cancer appear only at stage 3.

weight loss weight loss

It should be noted here that the decline is rapid and despite the fact that a person does not lose weight, does not diet and does not play sports. It usually indicates cancer in the colon, small intestine, or rectum. In addition, there may be a difficult act of defecation, a constant feeling that the intestines are full.

Skin color changes

Yellow color usually indicates pathologies in the liver and pancreas. In this case, when the color changes, the color of the sclera of the tongue may change and skin itching may appear. I would also like to add that this can also occur at the last stage of almost any cancer, when metastases reach the liver.

Labored breathing

Dry cough, later sputum appears. At the very beginning, a cough may be without any symptoms at all. After that, shortness of breath, shortness of breath, shortness of breath may appear. Indicates, but cough may also be present in stomach cancer, but in more rare cases.

Difficult to swallow

May indicate cancer of the pharynx, throat. In this case, the tumor can grow to such a size that a person then simply cannot swallow, as well as breathe.

Heartburn

When gastric juice enters the esophagus due to a tumor. In this case, a person constantly feels severe heartburn. It can indicate both stomach cancer and duodenal cancer.

Enlarged lymph nodes

By itself, edema mainly appears on the face. This is due to the fact that the lymph nodes react to the tumor. It can indicate cancer of anything, which is why it is better to immediately consult a doctor and take blood tests.

Swelling of the upper body

Squeezing of the lymphatic vessels and circulatory system near the lungs due to a growing tumor leads to the fact that puffiness appears on the face and in the upper body. Occurs against the background of frequent smoking.

Fatigue

The tumor has waste products that are intensively produced in the blood, plus with the growth of cancer, the tumor can interfere with the normal functioning of the organ, which causes stagnation of substances. There is intoxication, pain in the head, malaise, constant weakness in oncology.

Blood in stool

Indicates bowel cancer. It may also be accompanied by a difficult act of defecation due to the fact that the cancerous tumor has already grown strongly. The stool becomes dark in color due to blood. It is necessary to urgently consult a doctor, because later, due to the tumor, the patient will not be able to go to the toilet at all. Blood appears as a result of damage to the vessels by the tumor as a result of violent growth.

Constipation, diarrhea

A general disorder of the digestive process may indicate several oncological zones: from stomach cancer to the intestines.

Difficulty urinating

It is not always accompanied by pain, usually it can already begin at stages 1, 2 of prostate cancer. This is due to the fact that the prostate gland swells and narrows the urethra. Then the man needs to make every effort and tighten the press in order to go "in a small way."

In the last stages of cancer, the act of urination may not be possible at all, and doctors put a catheter. A cancerous tumor overwhelms the nerves responsible for male libido, and the man begins to have sexual problems.

Blood in the urine

In men, it can be associated with prostate cancer, and in women, cancer develops in the uterus. At the same time, these diseases at stage 3 begin to affect the nearest organs, kidneys, liver and bladder, from which there can also be blood.

Swelling of the scrotum and penis

Testicular or penile cancer. But in the last stage of a prostate tumor, these symptoms may also appear. Plus there is swelling of the lower extremities.

Back pain

This does not always indicate osteochondrosis or inflammation in the spine. Sometimes it can be cancer of the vertebrae.

Discharge from the nipples

Accompanied by pain in the chest. Indicates the defeat of breast cancer cells with metastases. In addition, it is best to check the breast itself for lumps and if there are any, then immediately consult a doctor. The discharge itself smells bad.

What can cause cancer?

The exact causes of cancer development have not yet been established, but there are several factors and assumptions.

1. Improper nutrition
2. Ecology
3. Work related to pesticides and chemistry.
4. Smoking
5. Alcohol
6. Genetics
7. Unprotected sex and sexually transmitted diseases.
8. Stress

How to detect cancer at an early stage?

Not all of the above symptoms of oncology indicate that you have a malignant tumor. But if there are at least 10 signs of cancer, then you should worry. But you must understand that it is impossible to identify the disease only by internal symptoms and it is worth resorting to other studies.

How to fully detect cancer?

1. Take a blood test with a leukocyte formula
2. Donate blood for biochemistry
3. Tests for tumor markers.
4. Biopsy of suspicious tissue.

Signs of cancer in women

Oncological diseases in women appear a little brighter in the initial stages than in men. During pregnancy, this can lead to miscarriage.

There is a category of people who are constantly looking for symptoms of cancer, even in the absence of any reason for this: nutrition is correct, lifestyle is healthy, bad habits are 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 their fellow physicians, 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 a 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 following to the doctor.

However, as you know, cancer does not choose a profession, status, age, just the likelihood of falling ill in a risk group is much higher, which modern medicine is trying to convey, designed to fight diseases that are difficult to treat, and in advanced stages are not amenable at all.

Error in the immune system - an "evil" result

Propaganda directing a person to a healthy lifestyle, unfortunately, is not always effective. Drinking, smoking is harmful, being nervous too, and eating even more so, because any adverse factor can trigger the development of a malignant tumor, which, as you know, arises from one normal cell, degenerated and transformed for one reason or another into a cancerous one. Spontaneous mutations occur in the human body all the time, but not all of them end in cancer, so it is impossible to know when, on what day, hour or minute an “evil” cell appeared and why the immune system did not “recognize” it.

In a healthy body, the immune system will quickly detect evil and destroy it, but if the latter is reduced, the defenses are lost, and the immune system becomes unable to recognize and eliminate the “alien”, thus allowing it to multiply. This is how cancerous growth begins.

Cancer cells are characterized by rapid and aggressive reproduction, but they also have different abilities. How quickly the process will go depends on the type of tumor and its location. In this way, The initial symptoms and signs of cancer are determined by many parameters:

• The degree of malignancy of neoplasia;
• Process localization;
• The size of the tumor and the involvement of "neighbors" (nearby organs);
• The stage of the disease (as a rule, in stage 1, cancer is practically asymptomatic, while stage 4 is very difficult, painful and fatal).

The first signs of cancer are practically no different from the symptoms of other diseases, including benign ones, therefore, having felt a headache or weakness, it is unlikely that a person will run to the doctor for a diagnosis. Meanwhile, there are certain signals declaring trouble, which for certain tumors, probably, can be considered the primary symptoms of cancer.

Cancer hides under different "masks"

Most malignant tumors in the first stage do not manifest themselves in any way, therefore they pass unnoticed, the person continues to consider himself healthy, lives, works and makes plans for the future. Meanwhile, common 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 a 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 acquaint them with specific manifestations the most common cancers.

open confrontation

“Feeling” a victory over the body, cancer begins to give itself away, and then its specific symptoms and signs appear, which allow the patient to suspect a malignant process. For each localization of the tumor, the initial signals are different, so we will briefly try to describe some of them.

Lungs

Morphologically, this process can be represented as follows: 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 on microscopic examination (atypia). Dysplasia, which is often diagnosed in the cervix, is a typical example of a precancerous condition and is at risk for cervical cancer.

Threatening or obligate neoplasia (precancer) is spoken of in the case of diseases that, if left untreated, one way or another, but transform into cancer, although it is not known when this can happen: in a month or in a few years. Patients who do not want to be treated should understand that precancer can be considered the initial stage of the oncological process, therefore non-invasive tumor (in situ) must be radically eliminated. This gives hope for a full recovery.

Video: Warning Cancer Symptoms

Often, a cancerous tumor does not show any specific symptoms. Therefore, most people learn about a terrible diagnosis only when it is already very difficult, and sometimes completely impossible, to cope with the disease. And there is also such a category of citizens who, with any ailment, think about the worst and try to detect signs of cancer in themselves. Perhaps excessive vigilance is also useless, but if you really notice something is wrong in your condition, you should undergo a medical examination. Better to be safe!

Cancer: signs and symptoms

Diseases of this kind manifest themselves in different ways. But there are common signs of women and men. In general, three groups of symptoms can be distinguished:

• Unsuccessful treatment of diseases. When you are undergoing intensive therapy for any pathologies, whether it is a stomach ulcer, inflammation of the bladder or pneumonia, and there is no improvement for a long time, you should be wary. Perhaps this indicates the presence of a cancerous lesion.
• small manifestations. Reduced efficiency, a constant feeling of discomfort, fatigue, a decrease in interest in the surrounding reality, unreasonable weight loss - all this can speak of oncology.
• Tissue growth. If during a visual examination or palpation you find a deformation or asymmetry of some part of the body, you should be wary. Perhaps such a tumor is dangerous.

Now we will list the first symptoms of cancer, with the appearance of which it is necessary to consult a doctor.

1. Sudden weight loss. Many people at an early stage of the development of the disease begin to lose weight rapidly. If you lose more than five kilograms in a short time, visit your doctor immediately.
2. Increased temperature and fever. This symptom usually appears when the cancer has already spread widely. But it is he who can be the first call.
3. Fatigue and weakness. These are perhaps the most important first signs of cancer, characteristic of absolutely any type of cancer. However, many simply ignore them.
4. Pain in the bones. This symptom may indicate malignant neoplasms in the bone tissue.
5. Change in the quality and color of the skin cover. Dermatological signs, such as darkening, redness, yellowness of the skin, itching, and others, may indicate the presence of skin cancer or oncology of internal organs.
6. Changes in the size, color, thickness, shape of moles, as well as the occurrence of wounds or ulcers that are not amenable to therapy. Moles can transform into malignant tumors, so do not ignore such manifestations.
7. Violations of the functioning of the bladder and disorders of the stool. You should consult a specialist if you suffer from persistent constipation or, on the contrary, diarrhea. Changes such as pain during emptying, more frequent or rare urination should also alert.
8. Constant headache. This symptom may indicate the presence of a brain tumor.
9. Unusual discharge, bleeding. Blood impurities in feces, urine, vaginal bleeding in women - all this can be a manifestation of cancer.
10. Persistent cough, sore throat, hoarseness, and trouble swallowing and indigestion. If you find blood clots in your sputum when you cough, you should immediately visit a doctor, because you may have lung tissue cancer. Swallowing problems and digestive disorders are often not signs of cancer, but if they occur together, you can suspect a cancer of the pharynx, esophagus, or gastrointestinal tract.

Symptoms of different types of cancer

Of course, in addition to general manifestations, there are specific signs of oncological diseases that are characteristic only for one or another variety. And still, even if you find any characteristic symptom, you should not immediately think that you have cancer. First visit a specialist, and then draw conclusions.

Stomach cancer

In the early stages of the disease, the signs are inaccurate and scarce. Often, not only patients, but the doctors themselves write off the symptoms that have appeared on gastritis. In this case, everything is limited to the appointment of medications, and a complete examination is not carried out. And yet, specialists who listen attentively to the complaints of patients sometimes catch the first signs of an oncological disease. These include:

The described first signs of oncology can manifest themselves both against the background of a previous stomach disease (for example, an ulcer), and against the background of absolute health. Only when a malignant tumor becomes widespread, vivid symptoms appear: persistent vomiting, intense pain radiating to the back, severe weakness, sallow skin color.

breast cancer

The first signs of oncology in women in this case are retraction and flattening of the nipple and bloody discharge from it. Pain is not a diagnostic symptom. When pain may be completely absent, but with mastopathy, on the contrary, it can be pronounced. Depending on what form the cancer has, the signs and symptoms will vary. So, with a mastitis-like form of the disease, the mammary gland greatly increases, swells and hurts. The skin becomes hot to the touch. The erysipelatous form is characterized by the sudden appearance of redness on the skin of the chest, as well as a significant increase in temperature. Shell oncology is manifested by a bumpy thickening of the skin. A kind of shell is formed, covering part of the chest, and sometimes its entirety.

Rectal cancer

As already mentioned, usually the signs of oncological diseases in the early stages are not particularly pronounced. The symptoms that can be noticed are no exception: dull pain during bowel movements at the time of the movement of feces, excretion of mucus and blood with the stool, subsequently a ribbon-like stool. Such manifestations are often mistaken for signs of hemorrhoids. However, there is a difference: with hemorrhoids, blood in the stool usually appears at the beginning of a bowel movement, and with rectal cancer, at the end. At a later stage, constipation is added to the listed symptoms, followed by diarrhea, frequent urge to defecate, and discharge of fetid purulent-bloody masses.

Skin cancer

This type of oncology can also have different forms: ulcerative, nodular, infiltrative. However, often the first signs of skin cancer, regardless of form, are the same. Dense painless nodules of a waxy pinkish-yellowish color appear on the body. Gradually they grow. Very rarely there are forms with sluggish growth, which do not show visible changes for many years. But there are also such cases.

Lung cancer

Depending on where the primary tumor occurs, in the lung tissue or in the bronchus, the first signs of oncology will vary. In the case of central cancer (cancer of the bronchus), a hacking dry cough develops first, later sputum appears, often it has blood impurities. For this form of the disease, the causeless occurrence of pneumonitis (inflammation of the lung), accompanied by an increase in temperature, increased cough, general weakness, and in some cases chest pains, is very characteristic. Peripheral cancer, which originates in the lung tissue, is almost asymptomatic at the initial stage and is often detected during a preventive x-ray examination.

A brain tumor

Signs of oncological diseases of the brain are numerous, and they cannot be called specific. It is noteworthy that many neoplasms do not manifest themselves at all and are most often found only after death, at autopsy. This applies, for example, to a pituitary tumor. It should also be borne in mind that not all formations are malignant - benign tumors often appear in the same way as cancerous ones. The only way to check the nature of the symptoms present is to undergo an examination.

Symptoms in these types of oncology are associated with the pressure of the tumor on the brain and, in connection with this, a violation of its work. The signs are similar in both the primary and metastatic (when the neoplasm penetrates into other parts of the brain) stages and are characterized by weakness, headache, absent-mindedness, the appearance of convulsions and spasms, and difficulty in motor processes. Nausea and vomiting are also possible (especially in the morning), blurred vision, weakening of intellectual activity associated with impaired memory and concentration, a gradual decrease in mental activity, changes in emotional state, difficulty in speech processes. These symptoms, as a rule, do not appear immediately, so for a long time the disease may go unnoticed.

Finally

We have listed the signs of the main oncological diseases, but, of course, we have not touched on all types of cancer. There are a lot of them, and the symptoms in each case will be different. For example, the main manifestations of uterine cancer are bleeding and discharge in the form of whites from the vagina. The main symptom is pain when swallowing food, and the most common bladder symptom is blood in the urine. Do not be negligent about your health and immediately consult a doctor at the slightest suspicion of a terrible disease!