10 cancer
symptoms men shouldn't ignore
- Abnormal
lump. Have you
recently felt a mass or lump right below your skin? This may be a sign of
cancer. Lumps normally show up in the breast, testicles, lymph nodes and
soft tissues, like tendons and ligaments. Here’s what to do: Report it to
your doctor immediately, especially if you just found it, or it has grown
in size.
- Changes in
your testicles. Have you noticed changes in the size of your
testicles, like one or both have gotten bigger? Maybe you’ve
found a lump, or your testicles feel swollen or extra heavy. Any of these
signs should send you straight to your doctor. Testicular cancer is most
common in young and middle-aged men.
- Changes in
your restroom habits. Suddenly need to use the restroom all the time? Or
have pain when you go? This may be a sign of bladder or prostate cancer.
Other signs to look out for are blood in your urine or stool. Changes in
your bowel habits, like constipation or diarrhea that won’t go away,
matter too.
- Changes in
your skin. If you work long hours outside or have a history of
blistering sun burns, check your skin more closely. What you think are
signs of hard work might actually be skin cancer. Look for unusual
bleeding, scaling or sores that do not heal. Other signs include warts as
well as moles and freckles that change in color, size or shape. Bottom
line: If you’ve got a strange spot on your skin, call your dermatologist.
- Indigestion
or trouble swallowing. A prolonged painful burning sensation in your
throat or chest shouldn’t be ignored – even if you suspect it’s from
eating spicy food. Don’t think that regular indigestion or trouble
swallowing is a normal part of aging either. It can be a sign of
esophageal, stomach or throat cancer.
- Persistent
cough or hoarseness. Do you have a nagging cough? If it lasts more than
three weeks, it’s a sign that something’s wrong. And whether you smoke or
not, a cough that doesn’t go away can be a sign of lung cancer. Persistent
hoarseness, wheezing, shortness of breath or coughing up blood are also
signs to call your doctor right away.
- Changes in
your mouth. If you smoke, chew, dip or spit tobacco, you need
to pay close attention to changes inside your mouth. White patches inside
your mouth or white patches on your tongue may be pre-cancers. Left
untreated, these areas can turn into oral cancer. Sores, unexplained
bleeding, numbness or tenderness in the area around your mouth – like your
tongue, lips and cheeks – should tell you that it’s time for a check-up.
- Unexplained
weight loss. Are you dropping pounds without changing your diet
or exercise habits? Call your doctor – even if you think they’re pounds
you need to lose. Losing ten or more pounds for no known reason can be a
sign of pancreatic, stomach, esophageal or lung cancer.
- Constant
fatigue. Are you
too tired to play with your kids? Or hang out with the guys after work?
Are you constantly tired no matter how much rest you get? Don’t brush it
off. Constant fatigue can be a sign of leukemia as well as some colon and
stomach cancers.
- Persistent
pain. Nagging
back pain, a headache that won’t go away, abdominal or stomach pains –
your doctor needs to know. “No pain, no gain” doesn’t apply to
cancer. And, persistent pain, no matter the location, can be the first
sign that something’s wrong.
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