Yahoo News The three types of cancer with the hardest to detect symptoms - when to see a doctor
Warnings have been issued over three types of cancer. Each of them can be hard to detect due to a lack of symptoms.
There are over 200 different types of cancer that can affect the human body. Some may present with clear symptoms, leading to a swift diagnosis, while others may not be as easily detectable.
In some instances, the disease can remain unnoticed for months or even years, and the longer it remains undiagnosed, the lower the chances of survival become. With this in mind, health experts have highlighted three types of cancer that can be particularly difficult to identify due to their largely symptomless nature or because their symptoms could be easily confused with other conditions.
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Bowel cancer
While these symptoms might not necessarily indicate cancer, it is crucial to have them checked by a healthcare professional. As reported by The Mirror, bowel cancer is one such type of cancer that can be found anywhere in the large bowel, including the colon and rectum.
The seriousness of bowel cancer depends on the size of the cancer, whether it has spread, and your overall health. Symptoms can include:
Bleeding from your bottom and/or blood in your poo
A persistent and unexplained change in bowel habit
Unexplained weight loss
Extreme tiredness for no obvious reason
A pain or lump in your tummy
Bowel Cancer UK highlights the importance of being alert to bodily signals, stating: "It's important to know that most people with these symptoms don't have bowel cancer. Other health problems can cause similar symptoms. But if you have any of these, or if things just don't feel right, go to see your GP. You may need to visit your doctor more than once if your symptoms don't get better."
The charity emphasises that prompt attention could lead to an early diagnosis, saying: "Knowing the symptoms and acting on them as quickly as possible could mean that if you do have bowel cancer, it may be diagnosed earlier when it's much easier to treat. People whose cancer is diagnosed at an early stage have a much higher chance of successful treatment than those whose cancer has become more widespread.
"Don't be embarrassed and don't ignore any symptoms. Doctors are used to seeing lots of people with bowel problems."
Pancreatic cancer
They also touch on pancreatic cancer, labelled the 'silent disease' due to its subtle symptoms that might mimic less serious conditions. Symptoms of pancreatic cancer can include:
The whites of your eyes or your skin turn yellow (jaundice), and you may also have itchy skin, darker pee and paler poo than usual
Loss of appetite or losing weight without trying to
Feeling tired or having no energy
A high temperature, or feeling hot or shivery
Other symptoms can affect your digestion, such as:
Feeling or being sick
Diarrhoea or constipation, or other changes in your poo
Pain at the top part of your tummy and your back, which may feel worse when you're eating or lying down and better when you lean forward
Symptoms of indigestion, such as feeling bloated
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer, often referred to as the "silent killer," primarily affects women over 50, but can occur in anyone with ovaries. The NHS says that symptoms of ovarian cancer include frequently (roughly 12 or more times a month) having:
A swollen tummy or feeling bloated
Pain or tenderness in your tummy or the area between the hips (pelvis)
No appetite or feeling full quickly after eating
An urgent need to urinate or needing to urinate more often
Other symptoms of ovarian cancer can include:
Indigestion
Constipation or diarrhoea
Back pain
Feeling tired all the time
Losing weight without trying
Bleeding from the vagina after the menopause
If you experience any unexplained symptoms listed in this article, you should speak to your GP.
