how would you know you have cancer?

Question

beside loss of hair and going to the doctor to find out...any other way i can find out i have cancer....sometime i just wonder...

Answer 1

Google "American cancer society". Hair loss is often a result of receiving certain cancer treatments but does not indicate you have cancer. Some of the more common signs are changes in shapes of skin moles, coughs that won't go away, blood in the feces and sores that won't heal. See a doc if you have specific questions.

Answer 2

Cancer symptoms vary with the type.
Breast cancer screening involves palpating your breasts to detect lumps. The breast can be divided into 4 parts vertically and horizontally, plus the areola (nipple area). Cancer is most frequent on the upper outside quadrant of each breast and least frequent on the lower inside. Mammographic screening is recommended for all, professional breast exam and,if older, mammogram. You should have an annual check up and follow your primary care provider's (PCP's) advice on this. If your PCP isn't paying attention to you, get another one.
Lung cancer symptoms include cough, chest congestion, chest pain. However, there are several types of lung cancer and they may present differently or too late. Smokers should be especially concerned. Chest x-rays are still the method most used for screeing high risk. Be honest with your PCP about your smoking history so they can know when to order what test.
Skin cancer is usually preceded by a change in a wart of mole, an unevenly shapped or colored growth, or a rapidly growing growth. Sunbathers are especially are risk - even tanning bed users.
Colon cancer symptoms include changes in bowel habits - such as frequent watery bowels over a long period (not just diarrhea for a few days to a week) -or bloody or dark, tarry stools. The fecal occult tests are not all that good (they'll miss 30% or so) but they're better than nothing for screening. The colonoscopy is very good and can remove polyps that provide further ability to diagnose - perhaps even reducing subsequent risk.
Prostate cancer is often preceded by urinary changes - frequency, difficulty starting, stream size, etc. A yearly rectal exam is recommended and pretty good screening. An antibody test is also available but it's become less specific in recent years.
Then there's a whole bunch of other cancers. Talk to your PCP about your symptoms. Don't accept no for an answer - you have a right to have your questions answered!

Answer 3

I don't think loosing your hair means you have cancer (it's only when you start chemotherapy ). The sign you have cancer can be the fact you are really sick, you loose weight and even with medicines, it's not possible to cure your problem.
Your doctor will as you surely more thorough exams so as to be sure.
And at the end you'll probably know what type thing you have.It can be a cancer or not !

Don't worry you are young and have all the time of the world !

Answer 4

cancer isn't just one disease...there are hundreds of types, and each one is different, both in symptoms and how well it can be treated. A few symptoms that are common to many types of cancer include weight loss, poor appetite, night sweats, unexplained bleeding, an unusual lump or mass, etc. These are very non-specific though.

The most common overall types of cancer are...
1. Breast in females, prostate in males.
2. Lung
3. Colon

The most common types of cancer to cause death are...
1. Lung
2. Prostate in males, breast in females
3. colon

Symptoms of these diseases include
Lung - coughing blood, shortness of breath, history of smoking, chronic cough, weight loss
Breast - mass, nipple discharge
Prostate - asymptomatic early on, late signs are usually bone pain from metastases (so get your prostate checked!)
Colon - bloody stool, tarry stools, feeling of incomplete defecation

But if you are younger than 30 or so, none of these are likely. The types of cancers that younger people get include mostly leukemias and lymphomas (cancers of the blood and immune system) but also many others to a lesser degree.

Symptoms of leukemia - excessive bruising or bleeding, recurrent infections, anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, weight loss, fever.

and the hair loss is not a symptom of cancer, but rather of the treatment. People with cancer receive drugs that kill rapidly dividing cells (cancer cells). However, there are other cells in our body that also rapidly divide normally, including hair, blood cells and intestinal lining.

Answer 5

I'm sure the symptoms are on the American cancer society web site, as I remember a wound or sore that takes too long to heal can be a sign of cancer somewhere in the body.

Answer 6

Cancer takes effect in many different ways. O ya. Hair loss is from Chemo Therapy not the Cancer. Are you having trouble walking, to you easily get light headed, to you become unconscious, Do you notice odd things occur, do you have wounds that don't cure, do you have bruises from something that occured several months ago. PLEASE IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS LISTED ABOVE GO SEE A DOCTOR PLEASE!!!! CANCER IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR DEATHS IN THE US! Also, great news in the world of cancer...The virus which cause cirvical cancer has almost been eliminated!!!

Answer 7

loss of hair is from the treatment for cancer. a lot of cancers have no symptoms until quite advanced, and some only minor pains. only sure way is to get a good physical, including pap smear, blood tests, and maybe x-rays. blood test should be most you need really

Answer 8

It depends on what cancer you have. For example, a person with bowel cancer develops bloody diarrhoea or consipation or both. Similarly a person with lung cancer can come to you with blood coughing out. Women with cervical cancer usually come with bleeding after having sex.
Loss weight inspite of good appetite is common to all cancers.

Answer 9

If you are wondering if you have cancer you shouldn't screw around you should go see a REAL doctor and not try to diagnosis yourself even if you ARE a doctor! See an oncologist, and don't try to practice cancer medicine without the training and the LICENSE.

Answer 10

i dont think so, the best way to know is go to a doctor, that is the best way to find out, otherwise alot of cancers do have the same syptoms as some illness's