#WorldCancerDay: Early warning signs of cancer

Patient surveys have shown that there are dangers ignoring some of the hidden signs of cancer out of fear that they’re wasting their doctor’s time.

Cancer, also called malignancy, is an abnormal growth of cells. There are more than 100 types of cancer, including breast cancer, skin cancer, lung cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma. Symptoms vary depending on the type.

According to http://www.independent.co.uk, research has found that more than 50 per cent of British people had experienced at least one “red flag” symptom.

Some people said they failed to see a doctor because they were worried that their GP would view it as trivial , while others said they feared a cancer diagnosis or believed in maintaining a “stiff upper lip”.

Others reported feeling a lack of confidence in the health system or assumed their symptoms were down to ageing.

And many believed their symptoms would simply go away of their own accord, according to the survey of more than 1,700 people over the age of 50.

Nevertheless, Some of the potential early warning signs of cancer include:

• A persistent cough or hoarseness, a lump, diarrhoea or constipation
• Unexplained weight loss or a sore that does not heal
• Blood in vomit, urine or faeces, bleeding between periods
• A feeling of not having fully emptied your bowels after going to the toilet are other signs
• Moles with an irregular shape or jagged edges should be checked by a GP.