What are the general symptoms of cancer in general?

Question

How long do you think someone could survive without knowing?

Answer 1

Cancer refers to any one of a large number of diseases characterized by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue. Cancer also has the ability to spread throughout your body.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States. But survival rates are improving for many types of cancer thanks to improvements in cancer screening and cancer treatment.

Signs and symptoms caused by cancer will vary depending on what part of the body is affected. Some general signs and symptoms associated with, but not specific to, cancer include:

    * Fatigue

    * Fever

    * Lump or thickening that can be felt under the skin

    * Pain

    * Weight changes, including unintended loss or gain

    * Skin changes, such as yellowing, darkening or redness of the skin, sores that won't heal, or changes to existing moles

    * Changes in bowel or bladder habits

    * Persistent cough

    * Difficulty swallowing

    * Hoarseness

    * Persistent indigestion or discomfort after eating

It is really difficult to say how long one could survive without noticeing the disease. Generally people come to know the presense of the disease on getting some symptoms and it is usually only after Stage II of the disease. I have seen cases of Stage IIIB (just before terminal position) people have lived without kowing it. So it greatly depends on the grade (Speed of multiplication of cells and spreading) and the part affected.

So it is always adviseable to have cancer detection tests done once in a year if you are above 25 years, when the onslaught of cancer is expected to be starting.-

Answer 2

It depends on the type and location.

Skin cancer presents very differently from gastric cancer.

Answer 3

people sometimes go years without knowing, especially women. if they dont go get a mamogram they might have breast cancer and not even know until it gets worse.

usual symptoms of cancer in general are;

nausea

headaches

loss of appetite.

there are lots of symtoms. too many to list

Answer 4

That is nearly impossible to answer simply, because cancer is not a single disease. It is possibly hundreds of diseases and all have different symptoms; but all the symptoms are also symptoms of benign diseases. The most important thing is to check with a doctor about any lump, in the breast, in testicles in men; swollen lymph node; swollen lymph nodes usually mean the body is fighting an infection, but if they stay swollen for several weeks, or even a shorter time, have them checked. It could be an infection treatable by antibiotics, or something worse.

Some diseases like Hodgkins Lymphoma have systematic symptoms, that is things like a fever, flu-like symptoms. Many forms of cancer produce tiredness, fatigue. A sign of Leukemia could be bruising or bleeding. Any rectal or urinary tract bleeding should be checked out right away, although there are other conditions besides cancer that can cause them. Nearly all cancer symptoms can be the sign or benign illness that can be treated very easily.

The thing is, if you have any suspicious lump, swelling, mole or anything see a Doctor or health care professional. It is better to find out something "is nothing" than let it go on and be cancer that spreads. People go to doctors and find out something is benign and feel embarrassed that it was "nothing". It's better to be nothing.

As for survival, that too depends entirely on what kind of cancer it is, where it is and other conditions. There is no way to know unless you are examined by a doctor.