The 20 Most Ignored Cancer Symptoms in Women and Men (2023)

FAQs

Which cancer is called the silent killer and why? ›

From time to time, we address most unpleasant topics in this forum. Pancreatic Cancer is one of these topics. There has been a modest increase in the incidence of this dreaded cancer such that nearly 50,000 Americans will be diagnosed with a cancer of the pancreas this year.

Fatigue. Lump or area of thickening that can be felt under the skin. Weight changes, including unintended loss or gain. Skin changes, such as yellowing, darkening or redness of the skin, sores that won't heal, or changes to existing moles.

Turns out, many people aren't paying as much attention to warning signs as they could be, says study author Katriina Whitaker, a senior research fellow from University College London. "Some people don't think they [the symptoms] are serious, and cancer does not leap to mind."

Detection tools aren't available to diagnose pancreatic cancer in the early stages – like breast cancer and colon cancer -- which can make it hard to beat. Discovering the disease in the early stages could provide an opportunity to remove the tumor surgically.

But the type of cancer most lethal for women – as well as men – is lung cancer. The American Lung Association says that lung cancer surpassed breast cancer in 1987 as the leading cause of cancer deaths in women.

Lung and bronchus cancer is responsible for the most deaths with 130,180 people expected to die from this disease. That is nearly three times the 52,580 deaths due to colorectal cancer, which is the second most common cause of cancer death. Pancreatic cancer is the third deadliest cancer, causing 49,830 deaths.

Cancer survival rates by cancer type

The cancers with the lowest five-year survival estimates are mesothelioma (7.2%), pancreatic cancer (7.3%) and brain cancer (12.8%). The highest five-year survival estimates are seen in patients with testicular cancer (97%), melanoma of skin (92.3%) and prostate cancer (88%).

A cancer may also cause symptoms like fever, extreme tiredness (fatigue), or weight loss. This may be because cancer cells use up much of the body's energy supply. Or the cancer could release substances that change the way the body makes energy.

asymptomatic cancer. When cancer or any condition is present but there are no noticeable symptoms, it's said to be asymptomatic. Many cancers are asymptomatic in their early stages, which is why regular screenings are so important. Cancers that trigger obvious symptoms early on are called symptomatic cancers.

What does cancer fatigue feel like? ›

People with cancer might describe it as feeling very weak, listless, drained, or “washed out” that may decrease for a while but then comes back. Some may feel too tired to eat, walk to the bathroom, or even use the TV remote. It can be hard to think or move.

Most blood tests aren't used on their own to diagnose cancer. But they can provide clues that may lead your health care team to make the diagnosis. For most types of cancer, a procedure to remove a sample of cells for testing is often needed to be sure.

Fatigue may develop as a symptom of blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, because these cancers start in the bone marrow, which produces red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body.

Aside from leukemia, most cancers cannot be detected in routine blood work, such as a CBC test. However, specific blood tests are designed to identify tumor markers, which are chemicals and proteins that may be found in the blood in higher quantities than normal when cancer is present.

Even though lung cancer is the deadliest cancer for men and women, the rates are declining in the U.S. Experts contribute the drop to fewer smokers and improvements in treatments for non-small cell lung cancer.

Leading risk factors for preventable cancers are smoking, getting too much ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or tanning beds, being overweight or having obesity, and drinking too much alcohol.

What are the 5 deadliest cancers? ›

Age and Cancer Risk

The incidence rates for cancer overall climb steadily as age increases, from fewer than 25 cases per 100,000 people in age groups under age 20, to about 350 per 100,000 people among those aged 45–49, to more than 1,000 per 100,000 people in age groups 60 years and older.

Stage 4 cancer usually can't be cured. In addition, because it's usually spread throughout the body by the time it's diagnosed, it is unlikely the cancer can be completely removed. The goal of treatment is to prolong survival and improve your quality of life.

Breast cancer and prostate cancer are the most common cancers (aside from skin cancer), and they're generally “good” cancers. People who receive these diagnoses undergo treatment and then return to their normal lives.

Symptoms of Metastatic Cancer

pain and fractures, when cancer has spread to the bone. headache, seizures, or dizziness, when cancer has spread to the brain. shortness of breath, when cancer has spread to the lung. jaundice or swelling in the belly, when cancer has spread to the liver.

You may have scars, changes to your hair and skin, or even lose a body part. Your weight and strength can fluctuate substantially. Some physical side effects can continue for months or years after diagnosis and treatment. Some changes will be noticeable to other people, while others will not.

Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere. Indigestion or difficulty in swallowing. Obvious change in a wart or mole. Nagging cough or hoarseness.

How can I rule out cancer? ›

In most situations, a biopsy is the only way to definitively diagnose cancer. In the laboratory, doctors look at cell samples under the microscope. Normal cells look uniform, with similar sizes and orderly organization. Cancer cells look less orderly, with varying sizes and without apparent organization.

Extreme fatigue that doesn't get better with rest can be an early sign of cancer. Cancer uses your body's nutrients to grow and advance, so those nutrients are no longer replenishing your body. This “nutrient theft” can make you feel extremely tired.

Individuals who started using vitamin D supplements during follow-up reported less fatigue and better quality of life. Higher vitamin D levels seem beneficial for survivors of colorectal cancer.

Your doctor will want to find out the cause if you lose, without dieting, more than 5% of your normal weight over 6 to 12 months. Losing 5% of your normal weight may not seem like a lot. But if you continue to lose weight at this rate, it could become a severe problem.

Summary. Weight loss is not a symptom of all types of cancer. It can be caused for a variety of reasons. Sometimes weight loss is directly related to cancer, but other factors such as emotional distress and side effects of treatment can contribute to weight loss.

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF, sometimes simply called "cancer fatigue") is one of the most common side effects of cancer and its treatments. Many people who are chronically ill feel tired. But cancer-related fatigue goes beyond the usual tiredness.

You may be too exhausted even to manage your daily affairs. In most cases, there's a reason for the fatigue. It might be allergic rhinitis, anemia, depression, fibromyalgia, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, lung disease (COPD), a bacterial or viral infection, or some other health condition.

Can cancer cause weakness in legs? ›

Muscle weakness is a major clinical problem for patients with advanced cancer. In addition, chemotherapy itself can cause muscle weakness and this can persist for months or years after treatment, causing problems such as fatigue and falls which can lead to fractures and increased mortality.

If you're wondering how long you can have cancer without knowing it, there's no straight answer. Some cancers can be present for months or years before they're detected. Some commonly undetected cancers are slow-growing conditions, which gives doctors a better chance at successful treatment.

1 In some cases, there are no symptoms at all, so it's possible to have stage 4 cancer and not know it. Most of the time, a cancer that reaches stage 4 affects not only the part of the body where it originated but the areas where it has spread to as well.

Fatigue or extreme tiredness that doesn't get better with rest. Skin changes such as a lump that bleeds or turns scaly, a new mole or a change in a mole, a sore that does not heal, or a yellowish color to the skin or eyes (jaundice).

Misdiagnosis of Cancer

As many as 1 in 70 patients are diagnosed with cancer when they do not actually have the disease, leading to unnecessary treatment, surgery, or chemotherapy. But many people are misdiagnosed with something else when they do in fact have cancer.

Cancer is often discovered when people go to their doctor because they have discovered a lump or spot or they have symptoms that the doctor decides need to be investigated further. There is no single test that will diagnose cancer. Instead, a range of tests will be used, starting with a physical examination.

Sometimes, a cancer diagnosis comes out of the blue, with no symptoms at all. But more often, there are various symptoms that may be warning signs of the disease.

The number stages are: stage 0 – the cancer is where it started (in situ) and hasn't spread. stage 1 – the cancer is small and hasn't spread anywhere else. stage 2 – the cancer has grown, but hasn't spread.

Symptoms of Metastatic Cancer

pain and fractures, when cancer has spread to the bone. headache, seizures, or dizziness, when cancer has spread to the brain. shortness of breath, when cancer has spread to the lung. jaundice or swelling in the belly, when cancer has spread to the liver.

Is Stage 4 always terminal? ›

Is stage 4 cancer always terminal? Stage 4 cancer is not always terminal. It is usually advanced and requires more aggressive treatment. Terminal cancer refers to cancer that is not curable and eventually results in death.

Aside from leukemia, most cancers cannot be detected in routine blood work, such as a CBC test. However, specific blood tests are designed to identify tumor markers, which are chemicals and proteins that may be found in the blood in higher quantities than normal when cancer is present.

Yet, oncologists do not routinely share prognoses. In a study of nearly 600 patients with advanced cancer, only 17.6% of the 71% who wanted to know their prognosis reported being told [2].