15 cancer warning signs you should know

Will you develop cancer in your lifetime? Statistics show the average male has a 40.9% risk and the average female has a 39.1% risk, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Staying in tune with your body can help you catch any abnormal symptoms so you can report them to your doctor.

With so many different types of cancers, it can be hard to know what you should keep a close eye on. But according to the ACS, there are 15 common warning signs:

1. Extreme tiredness
2. Unexpected weight loss or gain
3. Loss of appetite or nausea
4. Swelling or lumps
5. Lump or thickening of tissue in the breast(s)
6. New pain that doesn’t go away and gets worse over time
7. Skin changes
8. Lingering cough
9. Unusual bleeding or bruising
10. Change in bowel habits
11. Bladder changes
12. Fever or nights sweats
13. Headaches
14. Vision or hearing problems
15. Mouth sores, bleeding or pain

“These symptoms can be the first sign that something is wrong outside of routine cancer screenings such as mammograms, pap smears and colonoscopies,” explains Dr. Suchin Khanna, a hematologist and oncologist at Advocate Health Care. “However, these symptoms can be nonspecific to cancer and can be caused by many other conditions.”

Fatigue, for example, is a relatively common condition.

“Fatigue is one of the many possible symptoms of cancer, but it can also be caused by medications, poor sleep, anxiety/stress, pain, infection, metabolic derangements, hypothyroidism, rheumatologic disease, cirrhosis, heart failure and the list goes on,” says Dr. Khanna.

If you notice a lump or the thickening of tissue in your breast and are a woman over the age of 40, it’s understandable to be concerned. “This might be more concerning but again not entirely specific to breast cancer as it could also represent fibrocystic changes, cysts, or other benign conditions,” says. Dr. Khanna.

What increases your risk for cancer?

According to Dr. Khanna, some common modifiable risk factors for cancer include:

• Smoking
• Drinking alcohol
• Living a sedentary lifestyle and obesity
• Eating a low fiber diet
• Facing occupational exposures

“The biggest non-modifiable risk factors are age and genetics. Some people are prone to certain cancers because they have inherited a predisposition to these cancers from their parents,” says Dr. Khanna.

Can you prevent cancer?

To reduce your risk for cancer, quit smoking, avoid excessive alcohol consumption, exercise regularly, eat a well-balanced diet and learn your family’s medical history.

“Depending on your family history, genetic counseling and possibly germline genetic testing may be recommended and beneficial for you and/or your family members,” says Dr. Khanna.

Dr. Khanna emphasizes the importance of discussing your symptoms with your physicians so they can do a thorough workup to determine the cause.

Take a free quiz to find out your breast, colon or lung cancer risk.