Symptoms of carcinoma

The text is presented for informational purposes only. We urge you not to self-medicate. When the first symptoms appear, consult a doctor. Recommended reading: “Why not self-medicate?”. In the daily bustle, we rarely listen to ourselves and our well-being. Headache and weakness are perceived by us solely as a sign of overwork and fatigue, but any of these seemingly minor symptoms can be an indicator of a serious pathology, in particular, cancer. Physical discomfort and malaise are the signals that the body sends us, informing us of “malfunctions” in the body.

Malignant neoplasms that affect the skin and internal organs are called the term “cancer” or “carcinoma”. This is a dangerous pathology, the symptoms of which can manifest themselves in completely different ways, depending on which organ or tissue the tumor is localized in. In addition, the signs of carcinoma may vary depending on the degree of spread of the disease, the severity of the disease, the effect of the tumor on other internal organs and tissues, as well as its size. Is it possible to independently determine that cancer is developing in the body? What signs indicate pathology? Can carcinoma be prevented?

How does cancer occur?

Oncological diseases are in second place in the world in terms of the number of deaths, second only to cardiovascular diseases. Doctors say that with careful attention to their health, cancer can be detected at an early stage in 95% of cases.

The tumor process in the body arises and develops in stages. At the initial stage, initiation occurs – the introduction of a carcinogen into the DNA of a cell, which leads to a change in DNA and the transformation of a healthy cell into a cancer one. Then, at the second stage, promotion occurs – any substances (promoters) from the external (for example, radiation, chemicals) and internal environment (for example, hormones) cause a malignant degeneration of the cell that has undergone initiation. Promoters by themselves are not an unconditional cause of the oncoprocess development. Cancer develops only under the influence of a combination of various factors.

In the process of carcinogenesis, cellular structures are damaged, the cell loses some “healthy” abilities and acquires others, for example, it begins to divide rapidly and uncontrollably. Atypical cells can spread with the blood stream, so the regional lymph nodes are the first to metastasize. The ability of malignant cells to spread through the lymph causes the appearance of secondary cancerous foci in other parts of the body.

What are the symptoms of cancer?

Carcinoma can manifest itself differently at each stage of the disease and depending on the location of the tumor, but there are some common signs that can be used to judge the presence of a malignant neoplasm. Persistent elevated body temperature in the absence of signs of acute respiratory viral infections, general weakness, loss of appetite and a sharp unreasonable weight loss are symptoms that are combined into a syndrome of small signs. In some cases, this syndrome appears at a fairly early stage of the disease and may even be its only manifestation. Of course, any of these symptoms does not indicate that the patient necessarily has cancer, but this should be the first call for an early visit to the doctor and examination.

There are more obvious “SOS” signals from the body, which indicate the need for an urgent visit to the doctor. For example, bursting dull headaches occur in people with brain tumors of various types and localizations. Such pains are constant and pulsating in nature. As the disease progresses, other symptoms associated with brain cancer, such as speech disorders and difficulty in coordinating movements, may join the headaches.

Violation of swallowing and a feeling of a lump in the throat may indicate such a formidable disease as laryngeal cancer. Accompanying signs of pathology can also be hoarseness and pain when swallowing. Discomfort when eating and passing food is a sign of esophageal cancer. Since the width of the lumen of the esophagus is small, as the tumor grows, it partially or completely covers it. A common symptom of this pathology is pain, independent or associated with eating, as well as a change in taste preferences.

Chronic cough betrays heavy smokers and may signal lung metastases. A person can “cough” for a very long time, because it does not cause much discomfort, and at some point such a cough becomes habitual, and therefore imperceptible. Coughing is replaced by severe coughing spells and hemoptysis with a significant spread of the tumor in the lungs, so it is important to find out the causes of this symptom when it first appeared.

Jaundice is one of the leading signs of malignant lesions of the liver, duodenum, pancreas, and stomach. Jaundice in cancer causes symptoms of intoxication – fever, itching and chills, decreased appetite up to complete loss, general weakness, nausea, vomiting, headache and dizziness, ringing in the ears, weight loss, pain in the right hypochondrium.

Pain in the lumbar region can be triggered by a tumor process in the kidneys. If pain in this localization is accompanied by spotting in the urine and difficulty urinating, these symptoms may also indicate an oncoprocess in the bladder or prostate.

Various changes on the skin also cannot be left unnoticed. The appearance of sores that do not heal, or the modification of moles can be a sign of melanoma. This is an aggressive malignant skin tumor that needs to be stopped in time. Therefore, if the usual “flies” have changed color or increased in size, contact an oncodermatologist without delay.

Seals in the chest should also cause concern. Of course, this is not always a sign of cancer, but it is still worth consulting a doctor. After all, only after the examination, the mammologist will make an accurate diagnosis.

How to prevent the development of cancer?

The initial stages of the disease are almost asymptomatic, which is why it is quite difficult to identify them. In addition, it is important to take into account individual risk factors that can trigger the development of oncological processes. These include smoking, drinking alcohol, a sedentary lifestyle, hereditary predisposition. To reduce your risks, lead a healthy lifestyle and do not forget about timely annual diagnostics, which allows you to recognize the hidden early signs of cancer in time and prevent its development.

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