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Signs and
Symptoms
This document is great source of information about cancer. Acompalia is using this
document for patients and supporters as an informative document which Copyright
is Copyright © 2016 Pan Birmingham Cancer Network
In this document you will find an overview of the signs and symptoms of cancer. We aim
to address the most common questions about cancer such as:
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What is Cancer?
What causes Cancer?
What symptons you should look for?
How can cancer be prevented?
Can cancer be cured?
1. What is cancer?
Cancer is a disease of the body’s cells. You get cancer when normal body cells get out
of control, multiply and spread.
What are cells?
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The body has billions of cells. They are so small that you can see them only with a
microscope. They are a bit like building blocks – groups of cells make up all the
organs and tissues of the body. The lungs, liver, kidneys and skin, for instance, are
all made from cells.
Our bodies automatically make new cells when we need them. If you cut your hand
with a knife, your body makes cells to heal the wound and grow new skin. Children
make new cells so they can grow into adults. Every day, some of our cells get old
and die just through normal wear and tear, so we make new ones to replace them.
Usually, cells grow in a controlled and orderly way. Each cell knows exactly what to
do, when to do it and when to stop. It has a nucleus (centre) that contains all the
instructions it needs.
Cancer cells are different
Cancer cells are different because they don’t behave themselves; they have gone
wrong in some way, and follow different instructions. They can avoid the body's
attempts to control them.
• Most cancers form tumours – but not all do. LeukaeOne difference
between normal cells and cancer cells is that cancer cells don’t stop
growing. They carry on multiplying and usually form a lump called a
malignant or cancerous tumour. Sometimes, non-cancer cells carry on
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Signs and
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growing too, so not all tumours are cancers. If a tumour is not cancer, it is
called a benign tumour. Benign tumours can cause problems, but they are
not normally as dangerous as cancer.
• Cancer cells spread to nearby areas. This is called local spread. The cells
take up more and more space and can push their way into healthy parts of
the body and damage them.
• Cancer cells can also spread to distant parts of the body. They normally
do this by getting into the bloodstream or the lymphatic system. Blood or
lymph moves the cancer cells around the body until they get stuck
somewhere. Then they start growing in this new place, forming secondary
tumours or metastases.
• mias, for instance, are blood cancers. In these diseases the cancer cells
start to replace normal white cells. If we have too few white cells, we can’t
fight infections and we can get very ill.
Cancers can cause problems as they grow and spread. They may press on nerves
and cause pain. They may cause fluid to build up – for example in the lungs,
making it harder to breathe. They may cause a blockage – in the bowel, for
instance. They may stop healthy parts of the body from working.
Normally if we are infected by something – such as a flu virus – our bodies try to
‘fight it off’. We may not need to go to the doctor. But because cancer cells are
quite like normal cells, our bodies don’t fight them in the same way. Left untreated,
most cancers are very dangerous.
2. What causes cancer?
You get cancer when normal body cells go wrong in some way, and turn into cancer
cells.
We don’t fully understand how or why this happens, but there are several factors that
make it more likely that cells will become cancerous. These factors include:
Your lifestyle
You are more likely to get cancer if, for example:
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you use tobacco
you spend too much time in the sun, and don’t protect your skin
you are exposed to certain substances or chemicals - asbestos, for instance
you eat a diet high in fat and red meat, and low in fruit and vegetables
Doing these things doesn’t mean you are certain to get cancer, but you will increase
your risk.
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Signs and
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Your age
Although people of any age can get cancer, it mainly affects older people. The longer
you live, the more time your normal cells have to go wrong and become cancerous.
Certain viruses
Some viruses can help cells to become cancer cells. If you have hepatitis B, for
example, you are more likely to get primary liver cancer. If you have the genital warts
virus you are more likely to get cancer of the cervix.
Your immune system
If you have a problem with your immune system you are more likely to get certain
cancers. AIDS patients, for instance, have an increased cancer risk.
Your genetic make-up
You may have inherited a tendency to get cancer. In other words, you may have been
born with some of your body cells already damaged. Having these damaged cells
doesn’t mean you will definitely get cancer, but it makes it more likely.
Some of the cancers that may run in families are:
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breast cancer
bowel (colorectal) cancer
ovarian cancer
some skin cancers
prostate cancer
retinoblastoma (a rare eye cancer)
Some people inherit illnesses from their families – and having those illnesses makes
cancer more likely. For example, if you inherit chronic pancreatitis you have an
increased risk of getting cancer of the pancreas.
For most people who get cancer, there is no family link. But there are regional genetics
services throughout the UK where people with a significant family history of cancer may
be offered screening. The aim of screening is to work out a person’s cancer risk and to
discuss what might be done either to prevent cancer developing or to detect it early.
It isn’t possible – or useful – to screen everyone. What counts as ‘significant family
history’ varies from cancer to cancer. For example, a woman with two first degree
relatives who have had ovarian cancer may be suitable for screening. A woman's first
degree relative is a mother, sister or daughter.
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Research is going on all the time into cancer and its causes. The more we understand,
the better able we will be to treat it and prevent it in the future.
3. What symptoms should I look for?
Listed here are some of the possible symptoms of cancer. If you worry about having any
of them, tell your GP.
If you have any of these symptoms, it doesn’t mean that you definitely have cancer.
Most people who find lumps in their breasts, for instance, don’t have breast cancer.
However, it is better to be safe than sorry. If you do have cancer, the sooner it is
treated, the better. If you don’t have cancer, your doctor can put your mind at rest.
These are the most common symptoms that may occur in specific types of cancer:
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Bladder, blood in urine, pain or burning on urination and wanting to urinate
more often
Bowel, blood in your poo and loser poo for more than three weeks
Lung, a cough that last for more than three weeks, coughing up blood or
hoarseness
Skin, a mole that changes its colour, size and shape or a sore that does not
heal
Breast, a lump or thickening of the breast, discharge from the nipple,
enlarged lumps under the arm
Prostate, a difficulty in urinating, bladder not emptying completely, ache in
back or pelvis
Remember that pain is not often an early sign of cancer. Don’t assume that because
you have no pain, you don’t have cancer. The symptoms listed above are not the only
possible ones; each cancer has its own set of symptoms.
4. How can cancer be prevented?
There are many reasons why normal cells may turn to cancer cells – and some of these
reasons you can do nothing about. However, there are lots of things you can do to live
more healthily and cut your cancer risk:
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do not smoke or use tobacco in any form
Tobacco definitely causes cancer. Smoking (especially cigarettes) is a well-known
cause of lung cancer. Smoke can also get into other body organs; there is a link
between smoking and cancer of the mouth, larynx (voice box), pharynx, oesophagus
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(gullet), stomach, bladder, kidney, pancreas, liver and cervix.Chewing tobacco and
using snuff are also dangerous. They can cause cancers of the mouth and face.
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eat healthily
People who eat a lot of fat and meat – especially red meat - seem more likely to get
certain cancers (such as bowel cancer), so cutting down on these foods makes good
sense. We also believe that eating more fruit and vegetables helps to protect against
cancer.
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maintain a healthy body weight and keep active
Being very underweight or overweight increases your cancer risk. A sensible diet and
some exercise will help to keep you at the right weight.
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don’t drink too much alcohol
Some types of cancer are more common in heavy drinkers. These include cancers of
the liver, throat, oesophagus (gullet) and mouth. People who smoke and drink a lot are
even more at risk.
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protect yourself in the sun
Most skin cancers are caused by being out in the sun (or on a sunbed) too much. You
can protect yourself by using a high factor suncream and by covering yourself up when
the sun is strong.
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take care at work
If you are exposed to certain substances or chemicals (for example asbestos,
benzidene, arsenic) you are more likely to get cancer. Protect yourself by following all
the health and safety rules.
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get to know your body, and watch out for changes
For example, you can examine your breasts regularly for lumps or thickening, and for
puckering skin and other changes. Men can check their testicles for lumps.
Changes like these may be early signs of cancer. The sooner a cancer is found, the
better the chance of a cure.
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take part in screening tests
If you’re a woman you should have regular cervical smear tests, as well as
mammograms (breast x-rays) if you are over 50.
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Signs and
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Screening tests help to find cancer early. Smear tests can even spot danger cells before
they turn into cancer. There are no screening programmes available for other cancers,
unless you are part of a family that has a history of cancer. Trials are now under way to
find out whether screening for ovarian, bowel and prostate cancer is worthwhile.
5. Can cancer be cured?
Yes, but not always. Cured means that the cancer has gone away, and there is no
chance of it coming back.
Doctors know how quickly certain cancers tend to come back, if they are going to. For
example if testicular cancer is going to come back, it tends to be within three years, but
breast cancer can come back 15 or even 20 years later.
How quickly your doctor can give you the all clear depends on the type of cancer you
have.
How likely is a cure?
Whether you can be cured depends on many things. For example:
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the type of cancer you have; some are easier to cure than others
how quickly your cancer is found
whether it has spread, and if so, how much
cancer that hasn’t spread is usually easier to cure
your age and state of health
in general the earlier a cancer is found, the higher the chance of a cure.
Every patient is different. Your doctor will talk with you about your cancer, and your
chances of a cure.
What if it can’t be cured?
Although cancer can’t always be cured, it can always be treated.
Treatment may give a patient many extra months or years of worthwhile, good quality
life. It can also relieve the symptoms that cancer may cause, such as pain. Treatment
for cancer that can't be cured is often called palliative care.
If my cancer is in remission, am I cured?
Remission can mean one of two things.
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If the cancer goes away after treatment and there is no longer any sign of it, this is
called a complete remission. It is not the same as a cure, because there may still be
cancer cells in the body that the doctors can’t see; it is too early to talk of a cure.
A partial remission means that the cancer has shrunk. Partial remission is not a cure,
because the cancer is still there.
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Copyright © 2016 Pan Birmingham Cancer Network