Doctor's warning signs of seven silent killer cancers - from bloating to fatigue
A doctor has revealed the red flag warning signs of seven silent killer cancers - including bowel, liver and ovarian.
Silent cancer is a term used to describe the disease where symptoms can go unnoticed or mistaken for something else. This can lead to sufferers not seeking help soon enough - and it could mean it's too late.
Dr Ahmed El-Modir, consultant oncologist at Spire Little Aston Hospital has given seven silent cancers and the risk factors behind them. They include bowel, cervical, liver, lung, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer, Liverpool Echo reports.
Bowel cancer
Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancer types diagnosed in the UK, the NHS says. It particularly effects older people, with most of those diagnosed over the age of 60.
Persistent abdominal pain, bloating, cramps and changes in your bowel habits (eg constipation, diarrhoea or thinner stools) are common early signs to look out for.
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Another red flag could be blood in your stools, have the urge to open your bowels even after recently passing stools, and unintentionally lose weight.
The biggest risk factor for bowel cancer is age but your risk is also increased if there is a family history or lifestyle factors such as smoking and drinking.
Liver cancer
How serious liver cancer is depends on where it is, how big it is and whether it has spread. Many symptoms of liver cancer relate to digestion issues such as nausea, vomiting, paler stools, darker urine and feeling full after eating only a small amount of food.
A lump on the top right side of your abdomen, feel pain in this area, and experience abdominal swelling that isn't caused by eating, are also early signals something is wrong.
Other symptoms include jaundice, where the whites of your eyes become yellow, pain in your right shoulder, unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, fever and feeling unwell.
Your risk of liver cancer is higher if you are male, have a family history, are aged over 60 or if you have diabetes, hepatitis or liver flukes.
Cervical cancer
Cervical cancer usually grows very slowly. How serious it is depends on how big it is, if it has spread and your general health. Symptoms include unusual vaginal bleeding, pain during sex, pain in your lower back, between your hip bones (pelvis), or in your lower tummy.
If you have another condition like fibroids or endometriosis, you may get symptoms like these regularly.
You might find you get used to them. But it's important to be checked by a GP if your symptoms change, get worse, or do not feel normal for you.
According to Dr El-Modir, Cervical cancer is more common in those aged under 45 and those with a weakened immune system, for example, due to HIV or AIDS. Your risk of cervical cancer is also higher if you've given birth to children before age 17, had multiple births, have not been vaccinated against HPV or previously had bladder, kidney, vaginal or vulval cancer.
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Lung cancer
Lung cancer is one of the most common and serious types of cancer. More than 43,000 people are diagnosed with the condition every year in the UK.
The main symptoms of lung cancer include:
- a cough that does not go away after 3 weeks
- a long-standing cough that gets worse
- chest infections that keep coming back
- coughing up blood
- an ache or pain when breathing or coughing
- persistent breathlessness
- persistent tiredness or lack of energy
- loss of appetite or unexplained weight loss
Less common symptoms of lung cancer include:
- changes in the appearance of your fingers, such as becoming more curved or their ends becoming larger (this is known as finger clubbing)
- difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) or pain when swallowing
- wheezing
- a hoarse voice
- swelling of your face or neck
- persistent chest or shoulder pain
Ovarian cancer
Anyone with ovaries can get ovarian cancer, but it mostly affects those over 50. Many symptoms overlap with period symptoms including abdominal bloating, back pain, fatigue and persistent pain or tenderness in your pelvic area.
Other symptoms include constipation, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, feeling full after eating only a small amount, unintentional weight loss, sudden urges to urinate and urinating more often.
The risk of developing ovarian cancer increases with age but also with a family history, have endometriosis or diabetes and have never used any hormonal contraception.
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a cancer that's found anywhere in the pancreas. Many symptoms include bloating, changes in your stools, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting.
You may also experience back pain and pain in your upper abdomen, which feel better when you lean forward and worse when you lie down or eat. Other symptoms include jaundice, where the whites of your eyes become yellow, unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, fever and fatigue.
You may be more likely to get pancreatic cancer if you are over the age of 75 or have a family history. Certain medical conditions also increase your risk, including chronic pancreatitis, diabetes, gallstones and metabolic syndrome.
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer usually develops slowly, so there may be no signs for many years. Symptoms of prostate cancer usually only occur once the tumour is large enough to press against the urethra.
Symptoms include difficulty urinating, needing to urinate more often and the sensation that your bladder is not completely empty even after urinating.
Your risk of prostate cancer increases with age and if you are overweight or obese, or have a close relative who had prostate cancer. Your risk is also increased due to ethnicity as well as diet.
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