12.3: Cancer Screening and Symptoms

Before learning about the various cancer symptoms, it is important to note that many cancers have no symptoms, rather they are asymptomatic. It is important to get annual checkups and screenings to detect cancer. For example, women should get pap tests annually and mammograms after 40 (or earlier if breast cancer runs in their family. Men and women should get a colonoscopy every 10 years starting at 45.

Early detection is key for cancer survival!

The acronym CAUTION is a helpful reminder of the most common symptoms of cancer that you should watch out for. If you see any of the following symptoms please make an appointment with your primary care physician.

Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\): Cancer Warning Signs

Symptoms as related to type of cancer include:

Lung and bronchus

• Coughing that gets worse or doesn’t go away.
• Chest pain.
• Shortness of breath.
• Wheezing.
• Coughing up blood.
• Feeling very tired all the time.
• Weight loss with no known cause.

Breast (female)

• New lump in the breast or underarm (armpit).
• Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
• Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
• Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast.
• Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area.
• Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
• Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
• Pain in any area of the breast.

Prostate

• Difficulty starting urination.
• Weak or interrupted flow of urine.
• Frequent urination, especially at night.
• Difficulty emptying the bladder completely.
• Pain or burning during urination.
• Blood in the urine or semen.
• Pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn’t go away.
• Painful ejaculation.

Colorectal

• A change in bowel habits.
• Blood in or on your stool (bowel movement).
• Diarrhea, constipation, or feeling that the bowel does not empty all the way.
• Abdominal pain, aches, or cramps that don’t go away.
• Weight loss and you don’t know why.

Pancreas

• often asymptomatic
• jaundice
• Abdominal or back pain.
• nausea and vomiting.
• weight loss or poor appetite.

Liver

• Discomfort in the upper abdomen on the right side.
• A swollen abdomen.
• A hard lump on the right side just below the rib cage.
• Pain near the right shoulder blade or in the back.
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes).
• Easy bruising or bleeding.
• Unusual tiredness.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Loss of appetite.
• Weight loss for no known reason.

Ovary

• Vaginal bleeding (particularly if you are past menopause), or discharge from your vagina that is not normal for you.
• Pain or pressure in the pelvic area.
• Abdominal or back pain.
• Bloating.
• Feeling full too quickly, or difficulty eating.
• A change in your bathroom habits, such as more frequent or urgent need to urinate and/or constipation.

Leukemia

• Feeling tired (fatigue)
• Feeling weak
• Feeling cold
• Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
• Shortness of breath
• Paler skin

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma

• swollen lymph nodes, especially in the part of
• fever
• night sweats
• feeling tired
• weight loss.

Uterine

• Vaginal bleeding, or discharge from your vagina that is not normal for you.
• Pain or pressure in the pelvic area.

Brain and other nervous system

• Brain tumor symptoms can include:
  • Morning headache or headache that goes away after vomiting
  • Seizures
  • Vision, hearing, and speech problems
  • Loss of appetite
  • Frequent nausea and vomiting
  • Changes in personality, mood, ability to focus, or behavior
  • Weakness, loss of balance, and trouble walking
  • Unusual sleepiness
• Spinal cord tumor symptoms can include:
  • Back pain or pain that spreads from the back towards the arms or legs
  • A change in bowel habits or trouble urinating
  • Weakness or numbness in the arms or legs
  • Trouble walking

Urinary bladder

• Blood in the urine. This is the most common symptom.
• Having to urinate often.
• Pain while urinating.
• Back pain.
• Pelvic pain.

Esophagus

• Trouble swallowing
• Chest pain
• Weight loss
• Hoarseness
• Chronic cough
• Vomiting
• Bone pain (if cancer has spread to the bone)

Kidney and renal pelvis

• Blood in the urine.
• A lump or swelling in the kidney area or abdomen.
• Lower back pain or pain in the side that doesn’t go away.
• Feeling tired often.
• Fever that keeps coming back.
• Not feeling like eating.
• Losing weight for no reason that you know of.
• Something blocking your bowels.
• A general feeling of poor health.

Myeloma

• Commonly asymptomatic
• Bone pain, especially in the back or ribs
• Bones that break easily
• Fever for no known reason;
• Frequent infections; bruising or bleeding easily
• Trouble breathing;
• Weakness of the arms or legs
• Feeling very tired.

Stomach

• Commonly asymptomatic
• Poor appetite
• Weight loss (without trying)
• Abdominal (belly) pain
• Vague discomfort in the abdomen, usually above the navel
• Feeling full after eating only a small meal
• Heartburn or indigestion
• Nausea
• Vomiting, with or without blood
• Swelling or fluid build-up in the abdomen
• Blood in the stool
• Feeling tired or weak, as a result of having too few red blood cells (anemia)
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), if the cancer spreads to the liver

Oral cavity and pharynx

• A white or red sore that does not heal on the gums, tongue, or lining of the mouth.
• Swelling in the jaw.
• Unusual bleeding or pain in the mouth.
• A lump or thickening.
• Problems with dentures.
• Trouble breathing or speaking.
• A lump or thickening.
• Trouble chewing or swallowing food.
• A feeling that something is caught in the throat.
• Pain in the throat that won’t go away.
• Pain or ringing in the ears or trouble hearing.

Cervix

• Vaginal bleeding, or discharge from your vagina that is not normal for you.

Melanoma of the skin

• A-B-C-D-Es of melanoma
  • Asymmetrical: Does the mole or spot have an irregular shape with two parts that look very different?
  • Border: Is the border irregular or jagged?
  • Color: Is the color uneven?
  • Diameter: Is the mole or spot larger than the size of a pea?
  • Evolving: Has the mole or spot changed during the past few weeks or months?

Larynx

• Pain when swallowing.
• Ear pain.

Thyroid

• A lump or swelling on the side of the neck is the most common symptom.
• Having trouble breathing.
• Having trouble swallowing.
• Having a hoarse voice.

Testis

• A lump or enlargement in either testicle
• A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum
• A dull ache in the abdomen or groin
• A sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum
• Pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum
• Enlargement or tenderness of the breasts
• Back pain

FIGURE \(\PageIndex{6}\): The ABCD’S of Skin Cancer Detection