This article is a transcribed edited summary of a video Bob and Brad recorded in April of 2024. For the original video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qRqrxhTJOs
Mike: Today we're going to discuss the early warning signs of cancer that you don't want to ignore.
Brad: We'll cover 15 distinct symptoms that you could get while you have cancer. However, there is no single red flag that guarantees you have cancer. We'll just go through some warning signs that you should not ignore.
Mike: Now, if you have more than one of these symptoms, it is important to go to your doctor for a proper diagnosis.
Brad: The first one is unexplained weight loss. In other words, you're losing weight, you're not trying to, and it's coming off. It's one of those things you should check out. This is more common in people over 65.
Mike: Typically it is five to 10% of your body weight loss within six months. So it's a pretty big amount and it's typically pretty noticeable if this is your issue.
Brad: That's right.
Mike: Number two is extreme fatigue. So you are more tired than normal. Now this can be caused by many different issues, but in this case, cancer can obviously cause extreme fatigue.
Brad: Also, things like trouble concentrating, nervousness, anxiety, irritability. Now, these can really be caused by a lot of different things other than cancer, so don't get nervous about this if these are happening in your life right now.
Mike: The number three common sign is uncontrolled fever or commonly night sweats. So typically with cancer, they say it happens at night. Obviously, you wake up and you're very wet, your clothes and your bed can be wet as well. Now, this can be an issue of menopause with women over that certain age group. So obviously if that is your demographic, that makes more sense for you than cancer.
Brad: Right. And obviously, if you truly have the flu or something of that nature, night sweats are common with that. Overconsumption of alcohol can cause it. So see if you can relate it to something like that, if not, if it's coming for no apparent reason, you know it's a red flag. All right, now this next one is loss of appetite for, you know, no apparent reason. Again, this will kind of vary depending on where the cancer could be. I know someone right now personally who has a tumor in her colon, a large colon. Her appetite clearly went down. She is losing weight and it's being addressed.
Mike: Yes, there are many different forms of cancer. A lot of them, depending upon the location of the tumor, can affect your GI tract, stomach, colon, or anything like that. All these can cause loss of appetite. There are many other reasons, but if it's very unexplained and sudden it could be a sign.
Brad: Right. So obviously we need to get to a doctor, let them check it out, and then get the facts.
Mike: Next is a new persistent pain that is unrelated to any injury you had. So if you just wake up one day and have terrible pain and it doesn't go away within a certain amount of time, whether that's hours, days, or weeks, it's good to get it checked out.
Brad: Right. Again, this could be something as simple as arthritic pain if it's joint pain, but again, get it checked out, it's very easy and you'll want to know one way or another so you can treat it appropriately.
Mike: And cancer pain tends to get worse over time. So if it's something that really is just progressing at a fast rate, get it checked out.
Brad: So if you have problems with vision or hearing, particularly if it comes on relatively quickly where you notice the vision or hearing changes, get it in, get checked out, and make sure you know what it is.
Mike: Typically, if you have cancer or growth developing around the eyes or in the brain, it can affect your hearing or your vision.
Brad: All right, the next one is recurrent nausea and vomiting. So you're having these symptoms without being related to the flu or an apparent sickness and it comes and goes.
Mike: There are many different types of cancers that can affect the organs in the GI tract. So if you have any type of cancer in this region, it can cause recurring vomiting.
Brad: All right, the next two we're going to combine is if you have any blood in your stool or in your urine. So when you get up from doing your job, make sure you turn around, look, and look at your waste products and observe if there's any unusual changes or things that aren't normally in there. It's a really important and easy way to assess.
Mike: Now, oftentimes this can be accompanied by pain of sorts while having to use a bathroom. So that is a sign as well. But things like kidney stones, UTIs, or even hemorrhoids can cause bleeding as well. So get those things ruled out first. So number 10 is a recent change in bowel habits. So whether you are more constipated than normal or say you have excessive diarrhea for some issue and it is not getting better or going away, this could be possibly a sign of cancer because tumors cause issues within the internal organs of your digestive tract.
Brad: So with this, it's important to look back and if you had some diet changes for whatever reason, maybe you're trying to lose weight, this could cause symptoms like this. So if there's no apparent reason for it, get it checked out.
Mike: Number 11 is abnormal vaginal bleeding, especially after menopause. If you are post-menopausal and having these issues, it can be a concern to get checked out.
Brad: That's right. Number 12 is recurrent fever. In other words, fevers that are coming and going where no apparent reason, you probably have noticed some of these overlap, and some of them overlap with a number of previous ones. So it's just the way it is.
Mike: So this is oftentimes a systemic inflammation you're having. Your body is trying to fight off these cancer cells wherever they may be, and this can cause issues of reoccurring fevers.
Brad: And number 13 is a chronic cough. We're talking about going on for a number of weeks. Now, my wife actually just had a chronic cough going on for six weeks. She did go to the doctor about three weeks into it. They did take chest X-rays looking for pneumonia, but they're also looking for signs of any masses that might be in there for a lung problem.
Mike: Yes, when it comes to cancer and chronic cough, it's typically a lung issue. Sometimes the tumor can block the airway a bit, causing a tickling sort of effects, which make you cough.
Brad: Right. Fortunately, she had no problems with it and she's better now.
Mike: Number 14 is if you notice any changes within a mole that you already have. Now this can be changes in size, shape, color, or texture. So for things to look for, you can remember A, B, C, D, and E. A is for asymmetry. So one half of the mole looks different than the other. B is for border. So the edges of the mole are irregular, ragged, or blurred. C is for colored. So the color can change, it can be lighter brown, and turn into a darker brown. D is for diameter, meaning it gets larger in size. And E is for evolution, meaning it's constantly changing or growing.
Brad: This is one of those things that you really have to go in and it's so very easy to go in. The doctor looks at it. I had it myself, I had a mole that was changing. He looked at it, it's a normal mole. He froze it, it was gone, and life was good. So keep an eye on things, new things change, like Mike went over and it's an easy dermatology visit. And number 15, the last one is skin ulcers that don't heal. In other words, open sores, just continue to not heal whether you treat it or however you do it. This is one of those things you really want to get checked out. Even, you know, it probably is not cancer. I know a lot of people that we've worked with over the years with open sores that, are not cancer, but get it checked out.
Mike: Now, it's important to remember that these are just warning signs of cancer. It does not mean you have cancer, but early detection and treatments are essential for trying to combat it if you happen to have it.
Brad: That's right. So get into the doctor, you need an annual physical, or you should have a physical every year anyway, and that's a good time to remember, and jot things down. And when you go and see you, don't forget about it particularly like with those moles, you know?
Mike: Now, if you're looking for another video, we do have one here from many years ago about breast cancer, specifically in exercises you can try after having a mastectomy, "Breast Cancer- BEST Exercises to Perform After Mastectomy-Stretches."
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