The signs of cancer you should be checking for every three weeks
Assessing your body for lumps, unusual moles or unexplained bruising every three weeks might seem a little over zealous, but that's what we should all be doing to spot cancer at its earliest and most treatable stage – and, crucially, to save lives.
According to a new NHS survey of 2,000 people, only 39 per cent of Brits examine our bodies regularly, with many of us far more likely to check our bank balance, the weather forecast and what's coming up on TV during the same timeframe.
But complacency can lead to deadly consequences: Dr Richard Lee, a champion for early cancer diagnosis at The Royal Marsden Hospital, says delays in people mentioning concerns to their GP are one of the primary causes for early-stage cancers getting missed. 'Many cancers do present with symptoms,' he says. 'The earlier that a cancer is diagnosed, treatments are easier [to tolerate] and treatment success is more likely.'
While the NHS offers national screening programmes for breast, bowel and cervical cancers, and is in the process of expanding lung-cancer screening, such programmes only cover a proportion of cancers, making self-checking vitally important, especially as more cancers are being diagnosed under the age of 50.
According to the American Cancer Society, one general feature of many cancers is sudden or unexplained weight loss – for example, losing 5 per cent of your body weight over six to 12 months when you're not intentionally trying to lose weight.
'Cancer can be associated with reduced appetite and weight loss, essentially due to the metabolic effects of the cancer on the body,' says Dr Lee. 'It's partly because there's something there that's growing and it's also a feature of cancer which makes muscles weak while the metabolism is increasing; you've got this inflammation and all these things combined make it hard to keep your weight steady.'
Of course, this doesn't always occur, but certain cancers can be picked up through regular self-checking. Here are some of the most notable symptoms to look out for.
Testicular cancer
Warning signs: Lump or swelling
Testicular cancer usually presents through a testicular lump or swelling or sudden pain in the testicles. There could be a perfectly benign cause for lumps and swelling, but if you're experiencing these symptoms, Dr Robert Stevenson, Consultant Clinical Oncologist at The Harborne Hospital, says it's critical to be examined by a doctor quickly.
'A lump can be a cyst at the back of the testicle, or a varicocele, which is a collection of [enlarged] veins,' he says. 'Incidentally, this can also be an early sign of kidney cancer and that would be looked into too.'
If caught early, the cure rates for testicular cancer are very high, while patients will also avoid more debilitating treatments such as multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. 'If it's stage one – so, still confined to the testicle – you may just need the testicle removed, maybe a bit of chemotherapy, and that's it,' says Dr Stevenson.
What to do?
If you feel any sort of lump, swelling or unusual pain in the testicle region, this should prompt a visit to the doctor. An ultrasound scan will be required to diagnose whether it's cause for alarm or benign.
Survival rate if caught early: 99 per cent.
Leukaemia
Warning signs: Unexplained bleeding or bruising
In adults, leukaemia can be one of the more aggressive and difficult to treat cancers, but, when detected early, oncologists say that there are far more options, from chemotherapy to newer immunotherapies and stem-cell transplants.
With leukaemia being a blood cancer, Dr Premini Mahendra, Consultant Haemato-Oncologist at The Harborne Hospital, says that a major warning sign is unexplained bleeding or bruising on the body.
'Patients also sometimes feel unusually fatigued, they're getting recurrent infections, or they have unexplained shortness of breath,' she says.
What to do?
Consult your GP. To rule out leukaemia, Dr Mahendra says you will be given a simple blood test. 'There are lots of other possible explanations, but a full blood cell count, which is one of the cheapest tests to do, will indicate if leukaemia could be responsible or not,' she adds.
Survival rate if caught early: 67 per cent.
Breast cancer
Warning sign: Lumps
According to the NHS, visible signs of breast cancer typically present as hard, irregular, painless lumps that feel slightly different from the surrounding breast tissue, sometimes accompanied by the formation of dimples or changes in the nipple's appearance.
While the disease is most common in women over the age of 50, it can occur in younger women and, as a result, the charity Breast Cancer Ireland has long promoted self-checking as crucial. 'It's important to check yourself regularly so you know what your baseline is, which helps you spot any unusual changes,' says Aisling Hurley, the charity's CEO.
What to do?
While women aged 50-70 are offered mammograms as part of the NHS screening service, you can get a free mammogram earlier if you detect a lump or a concerning sign. Newer, more effective screening tools are also in the pipeline, with Cancer Research UK-funded researchers developing an enhanced mammogram to detect cancer in women with extra-dense breasts (which can make it more difficult to spot the signs of cancer in the first place).
Survival rate if caught early: 95 per cent.
Lymphoma
Warning sign: Swelling
As a cancer that affects the lymphatic system (the complex network of vessels and glands that represent a vital part of the immune system), early signs of lymphoma typically present as painless swellings that form around the body's lymph nodes.
'You can get these swellings which people feel most commonly in the neck, the armpit and the groin,' says Dr Mahendra. 'You can also get swollen glands after a viral infection, but those tend to be tender and painful, while it could be lymphoma if it's painless and it has persisted for more than two weeks.'
What to do?
There isn't a blood test for lymphoma, but, if concerned, specialists will carry out a biopsy of the swollen lymph gland to come to a definitive diagnosis.
Again, the key is to seek medical attention as soon as possible. 'You'd be surprised at how many people sometimes just ignore an unexplained swelling, and only present [themselves] at a much later stage with significant weight loss and enlarged lymph glands, as an emergency patient,' adds Dr Mahendra.
Survival rate if caught early: 84-95 per cent.
Bladder cancer
Warning sign: blood in the urine
Blood in urine is known to be a potential sign of prostate cancer (symptoms of which present mainly in late-stage cancer), but it could also indicate the presence of a bladder tumour. According to Dr Stevenson, this is because the vast majority of bladder cancers arise from cells in the lining of the bladder.
'Bleeding, a more frequent need to urinate, pain when urinating and recurrent infections are signs of bladder cancer,' he says.
What to do?
If bladder cancer can be detected before it has penetrated the bladder muscle layer, it is far easier to treat and send into remission. Doctors will likely recommend a flexible cystoscopy – a test in which a fibre-optic tube is used to directly examine the bladder lining.
Survival rate if caught early: 80 per cent.
6. Skin cancer
Warning sign: Irregular, unhealing moles
Knowing whether a new spot or discolouration on the skin is just a standard mole or something more sinister is a common challenge and, to assist, skin cancer experts commonly refer to the so-called ABCD rule – where A stands for Asymmetry, B for Border Irregularity, C for Colour and D for Diameter.
'Essentially, you're looking for anything that's changing; which doesn't really look as it did previously,' says Dr Lee. 'So, either a new mole, an existing mole which is now bleeding or looking more lumpy than before, or looking more irregular. Or a sore that isn't healing, is very painful or seems to be spreading.'
Because skin cancers can sometimes emerge in parts of the body where it isn't so easy to examine, such as the back, shoulders or backs of legs, Dr Lee advises asking for help from a partner or family member in self-checking.
What to do?
If concerned, consult your GP or a dermatologist. Skin cancers will be diagnosed through a combination of visual inspection, examination using a magnifying tool and, finally, a biopsy.
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