Possible cancer symptoms you should never ignore

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Our immune systems are remarkable weapons that take care of almost anything that ails us, especially when we help out by taking good care of ourselves. But immune systems are not infallible. Sometimes what ails us doesn’t go away, even when we rest, take pain killers, eat chicken soup, apply ice or heat or bandages or use any tried and true remedy. Sometimes a symptom is serious and alarming, like bleeding that comes from somewhere other than a cut.

When your body is trying to tell you something, it’s wise to listen and respond, especially for any abnormal or unusual symptom or sign that persists and has no obvious cause you can think of, like a sports injury. Symptoms that don’t go away often get worse, so procrastination is not your friend. You are not too busy, and fear and anxiety can be managed. I get that money or poor / no health insurance could be an issue, but little problems often have a way of becoming bigger and more costly.

That’s why I’m sharing this list of signs and symptoms you should never ignore for longer than a few weeks, because they could be a sign of cancer. They also could signal something less serious than cancer. They could represent any number of things, but no matter what, it’s better to know. Only then can you take action and put it behind you.

Signs and symptoms to look out for

Breasts: Lumps, firm feeling, nipple changes or discharge, skin becomes red, scaly, dimpled, or puckered.
Bladder and bowel: Pain or difficulty going to the bathroom, blood in the urine or stools, changes in appearance of urine or stools, diarrhea, changes in habits.
Lungs: Breathlessness, persistent cough, pain or difficulty breathing.
Mouth and tongue: White or red patches, bleeding, pain, numbness.
Skin and surface areas: Flesh-colored lump that bleeds or turns scaly, new mole or change to existing one, sores or bruises that don’t heal, yellowing (especially if accompanied by whites of the eyes), swelling anywhere but especially the breast, neck, underarm, stomach, and groin areas.
Eating / stomach: Heartburn or indigestion that doesn’t go away, trouble swallowing, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, appetite changes.
Energy: Fatigue, feeling tired even when getting adequate sleep, feeling the need to sit down, difficulty doing routine activities.
Neurological symptoms: Headaches, seizures, vision changes, hearing changes, face drooping.
Sleeping: Fever or night sweats, sleep difficulties.
Weight: Weight gain or weight loss for no reason, with no changes to diet or exercise.

My metastatic breast cancer symptoms

The breast cancer symptom we all know about is a lump or any other abnormality in the breast. Yet it was three completely different and unrelated signs and symptoms that led to the discovery of metastatic breast cancer, 16 years after my initial diagnosis and 9 years after a localized recurrence.

Those three symptoms, which could also be an indication of other types of cancer, were:

Minor yet persistent cough, which was a result of pleural fluid building in my right lung.
Significant weight loss (more than 10 pounds) with no changes to my diet or physical activity levels.
Fatigue, and not being able to do activities that I had been doing easily and routinely, like biking a particular trail and distance.

These symptoms don’t always mean cancer

Just because you have any of the above symptoms DOES NOT MEAN you have cancer. It’s very important that you understand this, especially when fear and anxiety start to overtake your senses. All I know is that having these symptoms should not remain a mystery. Some mysteries are fun and intriguing, but not medical mysteries. It’s better to know. Knowledge is power.