Cancer is a disease where cells in a specific part of the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably. Cancerous cells can destroy healthy tissue, including organs, as well as spread to other parts of the body. Statistics have shown more than one in three people will develop some form of cancer in their life. The four most common cancers in the UK include breast cancer, lung cancer, prostate cancer and bowel cancer.
While every cancer has it’s own specific set of symptoms, there are general signs for all cancers you should be aware of.
If you experience any of these you symptoms it’s important you visit your GP for investigation.
The NHS lists six symptoms of cancer:
Lump in your breast
The health body advises: “See your GP is you notice a lump in your breast or if you have a lump thats rapidly increasing in size elsewhere on your body.
“Your GP will refer you to a specialist for tests if they think you may have cancer.”
Coughing
If you’ve had a cough for more than three weeks you should see your GP.
It says: “Symptoms such as shortness of breath or chest pain may be a sign of a severe (acute) condition, such as pneumonia. See your GP straight away if you experience these types of symptoms.”
Changes in bowel habits
It warns: “See your GO if you’ve experienced one of the changes listed below and it’s lasted for more than a few weeks: blood in your stools, diarrhoea or constipation for no obvious reason, a feeling of not having fully emptied your bowels after going to the toilet, pain n your stomach, and persistent bloating.”
Bleeding
It says: “You should also see your GP if you have any unexplained bleeding, such as blood in your urine, bleeding between periods, bleeding from your bottom, blood when your cough, blood in your vomit.”
Moles
You should see your GP if you have a mole that has an irregular or asymmetrical shape, has an irregular border with jagged edges, or has more than one colour – it may be flecked with brown, back, red, pink or white.