World Cancer Day: Alarming signs of cancer you should not ignore

Head and neck cancer:

• Non-healing ulcer or growth in the oral cavity.
• Swelling in the neck.
• Change in voice.
• Difficulty in swallowing.
• Delayed healing after dental extraction

Liver Cancer:

• Pain and/or lump in the right upper abdomen.
• Jaundice.
• Weight loss
• Nausea/vomiting

Esophageal cancer:

• Difficulty in swallowing.
• Pain during swallowing.
• Regurgitation of food.
• Back pain.

Breast Cancer:

• Lump in either of the breast.
• Lump in the armpit.
• Recent onset nipple retraction or bloodstained nipple discharge.
• Recent onset change in size, shape or texture of one breast as compared to another breast.

Lung cancer:

• Cough.
• Blood stained sputum.
• Breathlessness.

Cervical cancer:

• Postmenopausal bleeding per vagina.
• White, foul-smelling discharge from the vagina.
• Post-coital bleeding.
• Persistent low backache.

Colorectal cancer:

• Change in bowel habits (constipation, diarrhea).
• Blood in stools.
• Pain while passing stools.
• Unexplained weight loss or low hemoglobin levels in the blood.
• A feeling that you need to have a bowel movement that's not relieved by having one.

All these symptoms may be present for non-cancer conditions also. One should seek the advice of a family physician for their symptoms. If symptoms persist even after 2 to 3 weeks of treatment, patients should visit an oncologist for further evaluation for diagnosis.

Cancer has been traditionally been called as a killer disease. Over the last few decades, there has been a significant improvement in the treatment of cancer. All three modalities of cancer treatment surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy have improved in terms of efficacy at the same time reducing complications and side effects of cancer treatment. Treatments are more effective in the early stages of cancer. Survival of more than 90% at 10 years is seen with early-stage breast and cervical cancer.

We would advise the reader not to be afraid about cancer. Be aware about common cancers, early symptoms of cancer. Don’t ignore persistent symptoms if not relieved by conventional medical treatment.  “Cancer is curable if detected and treated early”!

Written by Dr. Nikhil Kalyani, Department of Radiation Oncology, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre

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