Although we seem to be making huge strides in screening and treating cancer, we are still very much afraid of it. The problem is we may not be paying attention to early warning signs.
Prevention.com has recently published a list of cancer indicators that sadly many people tend to ignore. Perhaps it's because they also share the same attributes as other less-menacing diseases. Nevertheless, it's still ideal to get to know them so you'll be more encouraged to undergo a screening test as soon as possible.
One of the main indicators of cancer is actually pain. This may concentrated in one area of the body or in many different parts. While it's possible that a pain in the flank may simply be a strained muscle it may also mean a potential kidney disease or worse cancer. If the pain seems to be undetermined and it has been going on for a few weeks, you may want to seek out a medical appointment even if such pain is intermittent.
Women and men should pay more attention to bumps or lumps especially on the breast. Not all bumps are a sign of malignant cancer. In fact, a good percentage is completely benign. Nevertheless, if the bump or lump is accompanied by dimpling or a change in the structure and texture of the breast, or if there are also lumps underneath the armpit, it's strongly advisable that you undergo a mammogram.
You should also be cautious in the changes of your natural body movements, like your bowel movement or quality of your voice. Hoarseness is actually a sign of a potential lung or thyroid cancer. You need to see a doctor if the cough or the hoarseness doesn't go away even if you've already used some medication.
The idea of losing weight sometimes sounds good especially if you're battling with weight gain for some time. But unless the loss can be attributed to diet, exercise, and other regimen, you need to see a doctor. A weight loss of around 10 pounds is a typical symptom of cancer.