Cancer is an illness with poor outcomes and high death rates. So any early signs that one’s body might be coming down with this life-threatening disease would be greatly valuable. The following are some important warning signs of cancer that you should never ignore.

Painless lumps along your lymphatic track

If you find lumps appearing on your neck, underarm or groin, it is possible that they are swollen lymph nodes. Enlarged lymph nodes that are painless are actually a sign of changes in your lymphatic system, which is in turn a warning sign of cancer.

Changes in your nipple and breast

One of the most common changes reported by women with breast cancer is a nipple that appears flattened, inverted or turned sideways. Besides changes to the nipple, the appearance of dimpled skin (that looks like the peel of an orange) on the breast is also an important warning sign not to be ignored.

Blood in your poo and urine

Blood in the stools and urine are important signals that something in your body is seriously out of whack. If your anal bleeding is accompanied by poop that appears flattened, or the blood in your urine is NOT accompanied by pain when urinating, you have more cause for concern with regards to cancer. Regardless, blood in your poo or urine is a serious matter, so you should seek treatment for your condition, whether or not it is caused by cancer.

Pain in your pelvic or abdomen

There are many possible reasons for pelvic or abdominal pain in women. But if your abdominal or pelvic pain is accompanied by abdominal bloating as well as menstrual abnormalities (such as unusually heavy flows, painful periods, or bleeding in between periods), you should be especially concerned. Check with your doctor to rule out the various possibilities.

Fatigue and weakness

Chronic fatigue and weakness are common symptoms of many illnesses, one of which is cancer. It is especially crucial that you seek help if you find yourself chronically exhausted for no apparent reasons, and neither resting nor sleeping does much to help you in relieving the fatigue.

Other signs and symptoms

Other than paying attention to the above signs and symptoms, you should also take special care if you experience symptoms of discomfort that seem to appear out of the blues, such as unexplained difficulty in swallowing (such as in esophageal or throat cancer), weight loss, frequent fevers (such as in leukemia), as well as chronic cough (such as in lung cancer and leukemia).

What to do if you find yourself with the above symptoms

Many of the symptoms of cancer can also be seen in other less serious illnesses. Rather than get yourself paranoid about having cancer every time you observe such symptoms in yourself, you can consider the symptoms to be your body’s signal to you that your bodily system(s) is in need of care or treatment. So do give it the attention and care it needs.

Ensuring that your body is constantly kept in tip top condition through holistic healing and good health habits are definitely your best bet against cancer.

References
[1] http://www.caring.com/articles/cancer-symptoms-in-women
[2] http://www.caring.com/articles/cancer-symptoms-in-men
[3] http://www.insights-on-health.com/early-signs-of-cancer-you-should-not-ignore/

Cindy L. TJOL is trained in Psychology, Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. She has several years of experience writing on natural health on the internet. Follow her on her blog and read her other articles at Insights On Health.com.