World Cancer Day: 10 cancers and early detection

February 4 is World Cancer Day (#WeCanIcan) - an initiative by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to promote cancer awareness to help in detecting and treating cancers in their early stages.

Cancer has now become one of the leading causes of death around the world. With different kinds of cancers prevailing and new cancers emerging, some of which have never been documented earlier, it is not easy to look for symptoms. 

Therefore, to be prepared is to understand your body and body patterns so that you can recognize any anomalies, small or large.

The following are some of the most common cancers prevalent today and we have compiled a list of symptoms that you can check at home to rule out any chance of emerging cancers.  

1. Skin Cancer

Skin cancer comes in the melanoma and non-melanoma categories. People who use tanning beds or come under excessive sun exposure have higher chances of having this cancer. A family history of skin cancer can be another factor. The symptoms occur more commonly in the sun-exposed areas including the face, ears, legs and arms but can also show up on areas not exposed to the sun like the palms of your hand or the soles of the feet.

Self-check symptoms

1. Any newly formed mole or lesion that seems irregular in shape, size or feel
2. Scar-like lesions, which are flesh-coloured, or flat lesions with a scaly     crusted    surface
3. Moles that bleed or change in size
4. Pearly or waxy bumps on the skin surface
5. Red, pink or brownish spots or bumps with darker speckles
6. Normal moles usually have sharp borders, smooth skin and should be less than 40 in total. 

2. Breast Cancer

Breast cancer, if detected early, can be treated effectively avoiding the requirement for mastectomy (breast removal). While self-checks can reveal some symptoms, it is advised by www.breastcancer.org that women above 40 should go for annual mammograms, while all women should practice self-checks at least once a month.

Read the five steps for the best self-check procedure here

Self-check symptoms

1. A lump or growth, fixed or moveable, within the breast which can be felt with fingers
2. Painful lumps in the breast tissue
3. Irregularilty in skin of areolas or other skin tissue of the breast
4. Irregular or watery discharge from the breasts
5. Any pain or irregularities that can be felt or seen

Angelina Jolie underwent cancer-preventative double mastectomy and complete hysterectomy, against breast and ovarian cancer risks

3. Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer that starts from cells that form the immune system of your body. These are white blood cells called lymphocytes and the cancer usually develops in the lymph nodes. Like blood, lymphatic fluids travel across the body making the spread of this cancer easier to non-lymphatic tissues as well.

Infections can lead to enlargement of the lymph nodes, so, this should be ruled out. Such lumps usually go away once the infection has been treated unlike the lumps formed by cancerous cells.

Self-check symptoms

1. Lumps or enlargements in lymph nodes which can be seen or felt from the outside.
2. The main areas where these are seen include the neck, armpits, abdomen or groin area. These lumps need not be painful
3. Excessive weight loss and loss of appetite
4. Unusual fatigue and breathlessness

4. Leukaemia

While this cancer shows very few definitive symptoms in the early stages, it is mostly during routine blood tests that people get diagnosed. Make sure your entire family undergoes an annual complete body and blood check up, which will help detect the cancer at an early stage.

Self-check symptoms

1. Repetitive infections or fever
2. Fatigue, light-headedness
3. Bruising easily or unexplained bruises
4. Excessive nose-bleeds or bleeding from the gums
5. Night sweats
6. Unusual weight loss
7. Excessive bone or joint pain

In 2012, a teenager diagnosed herself with leukaemia after watching this movie ft. Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Sofia Vassilieva

5. Rectal and colon cancer

Colon cancer and rectal cancer affect the digestive tract (intestines) and usually show minimal symptoms in early stages. Family history and previous occurrence of colon polyps or cysts are risk factors.

Self-check symptoms

1. Constipation or diarrhoea, any long-term change in bowel movements
2. Persistent abdominal cramping, pain or gas
3. Rectal bleeding (blood in stool or toilet bowl)
4. Persistent discomfort or urge to use the toilet

6. Liver cancer

Liver cancer symptoms do not show until the last stages and therefore detecting it may take years. A routine test that you should do to eliminate risk is the liver function test, which detects any anomalies in normal liver functioning.

Self-check symptoms

1. Unexpected and drastic weight loss
2. Yellowing of skin or eyes (jaundice)
3. Enlargement of liver or spleen (felt as a mass under the ribs on the left side)
4. Swelling or fluid build-up in abdomen or other areas like legs, arms etc.
5. Other unrelated organ malfunctions in conjunction such as low blood sugar, high blood calcium levels, high red blood cell count and high cholesterol

7. Testicular and Prostate Cancer

The risk testicular cancer is high if the man has a family history of testicular cancers or if the man has cryptorchidism, where one or both testicles do not fully descend into the scrotum as a child. Prostate cancer risk factors include family history of the cancer and age, with most patients falling above the age of 60.

Self-check symptoms

1. Frequent urinary tract infections
2. Painful urination or blood in urine
3. Increased need to urinate or lack of control, especially at night
4. Discomfort in the pelvic area

8. Kidney Cancer

Renal or kidney cancer shows off symptoms similar to a urinary tract infection (UTI), so it's important to test even the smallest symptoms for early detection.

Self-check symptoms

1. Blood in urine
2. Lower back pain (not caused by injury)
3. Swelling or mass on side or lower back
4. Low red blood cell count
5. Loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, persistent fever

9. Lung cancer

While smoking increases the risk for lung cancer, it can also affect non-smokers. Lung cancers come in different types and each type has a different treatment and prognosis. Smokers who have the below symptoms persistently should get them checked immediately.

Self-check symptoms

1. Persistent hoarse cough and wheezing
2. Coughing brings up bloody sputum
3. Chest pain, shortness of breath
4. Fatigue and loss of appetite

10. Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer is the cancer of the uterine lining in women and is quickly becoming one of the most common cancers found in women. Many women, especially ones who haven’t reached menopause, ignore some of the symptoms as PMS (pre-menstrual symptoms).

Self-check symptoms

1. Irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting
2. Abnormal vaginal discharge
3. Abdominal pain along with bleeding
4. Pelvic pain or feeling of a mass in the pelvic area