Hearing the word cancer can be life changing. It is a word that many will not want to listen to they have or that a loved one has.
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death across the globe. The chances are high that you will know someone personally who has cancer, had it or lost someone from it. In the United States alone, more than 1.6 million people are diagnosed with some form of cancer. Each year, a staggering 600,000 will sadly lose their life because of the disease. These statics place cancer as the second leading cause of death in the States.
There are various types of cancer, some rarer than others. These are the most common types of cancers.
Most Common Types Of Cancer
There have been more than 200 different types of cancer identified to date. Despite this high cancer total, some forms are more common than others.
Skin cancer is one of the most common types. It is most commonly developed due to the skin being exposed to the sun. However, it can also occur on areas of the skin that are not frequently exposed to sunlight.
Aside from skin cancer, the other most common types of cancer are thousands. They are diagnosed with each year.
- Breast cancer – Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed forms of cancer in American women. It is estimated that over 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year. The most common signs that indicate an individual might have breast cancer includes finding lumps, sudden change in sizes, discharge coming from the nipples, breasts feeling different or any changes to the skin surrounding the nipples.
- Prostate cancer – Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer a man is likely to be diagnosed with. Each year, it affects the lives of thousands of American men and men across the world. There are very few early warning signs that a man can spot prostate cancer. There are a few symptoms to identify, such as blood in the urine or pain whilst urinating, pressure or pain in the rectum and also experiencing pain in the lower back, hips, thighs, and pelvic area. Some men might experience these symptoms and not get checked, thinking that the issues will slowly fade with time. Some men will not be experiencing any symptoms. It is why going for check-ups and getting tested is incredibly important. It could enable them to identify prostate cancer in its earliest stages.
- Lung cancer – Like prostate cancer, lung cancer does not have noticeable symptoms. The symptoms linked with lung cancer often begin to appear when it has advanced into a later stage. The delay is due to the lungs having only a few nerve endings. With only a few nerve endings, tumors can grow within the lungs without causing an induvial to experience any pain. There are signs to keep watch out for. These include unexplained loss of weight, bone pain, coughing up blood, a consistent cough that does not fade or gets worse, constant chest pain and shortness of breath or wheezing. A few of these signs could indicate other health-related problems, not just lung cancer, but it is worth visiting the doctor to rule it out and find out the cause.
Symptoms To Look For
Early diagnosis with any illness can help tremendously. An early diagnosis for the induvial with the disease increases their chances of beating it and surviving. It will also minimize the number of treatments and procedures they will have to go through to combat the disease. The reduced total of treatments can be a positive experience as it minimizes the side effects a person will face. Some of the side effects of cancer treatment can be incredibly tough. Spotting the symptoms and signs early can help reduce a person’s chances of having to experience these side effects.
Some of the most common signs of cancer include:
- Headaches
- Unexplainable weight loss or gain
- Difficulty with eating could include stomach pains, nausea, vomiting, trouble swallowing, and not feeling hungry.
- Bleeding and bruising for no known reason
- Changes to the skin could be a mole changing, jaundice, a lump that starts to bleed, or a sore that does not heal.
- A new cough or hoarseness that does not go away
- Unexplainable pain could be a new pain that either does not go away or worsens with time.
Some symptoms overlap with other illnesses, which are less daunting than cancer. However, if any changes to your health cause you concern, speaking with a medical professional could provide you with peace of mind. They will likely arrange for you to have specific tests based on the symptoms that you have described.
The tests and procedures will help them identify the cause of the changes to your health. One of the tests that might be done is an MRI scan. Many will wonder can MRI detect cancer. Ezra’s article answers this question and explains how an MRI can detect cancer.
If the symptoms you are experiencing are due to cancer, as revealed by the tests, your doctor will provide you with all the information needed about the next steps.
Next Steps To Take
After being diagnosed with cancer, the following steps will depend on the type of cancer and its stage. They will likely have to undergo further tests to get as much information about the cancer.
It could be having a CT scan to help them learn more about the cancer stage. This means the size of the cancerous cells and how much it has spread. The chances are high that you will have to wait for an appointment to have one of these tests. Due to the high figures of people with cancer, many people are waiting to have specific scans.
Not all hospitals are well-equipped with specialized equipment. The larger hospitals often have specialized equipment, which results in them having extended waiting times for people in need of a scan. There will be a wait for results following the scan, which could take weeks. In some cases, it can be sooner, especially if the specialist marks your case as urgent.
To help ease the nerves of waiting, ask your specialist for a rough estimate of when you should receive your results. If it has been a while and you have not heard anything, call your doctor for an update about the results from your scan.
Coping With Cancer
Seeing the statistics and hearing about cancer can understandably cause many to worry. Finding out that you or a loved one has it can be difficult.
With professional help, treatments, and loved ones can help you navigate your way through a challenging time. Since advancements in technology and breakthroughs in medical research, the chances of beating cancer or surviving cancer can sometimes improve.
If you have not been diagnosed, constantly checking and monitoring changes in your health are essential to early diagnosis. Aside from starting treatments and seeking help early, it can also enable you to save a tremendous amount of healthcare bills. Something that many worry about after being diagnosed with cancer.
