Ways To Detect Cancer Early

Loss Of Appetite

Many medical conditions, such as the flu, common cold, and even depression, affect the patient's appetite and make them feel quite a bit less hungry. Cancer is among the more serious conditions that can affect a patient's appetite. It does this in a few ways, including changing the body's metabolism and slowing it down. Furthermore, certain types of cancer, such as stomach, colon, and pancreatic cancer, can put pressure on an individual's stomach. This pressure can make patients feel too full to consume as much food as they are used to eating. When cancer progresses, it can affect the appetite even more, even as a side effect of treatment. Either way, however, appetite loss can appear as an early symptom of cancer.

Extreme And Persistent Fatigue

Everyone gets tired now and again. It is important to note that fatigue due to cancer is not the same as being tired one day after not getting enough sleep the night before. It is not easily fixed by taking a nap, getting a good night's sleep, or drinking some coffee. Extreme and persistent fatigue due to cancer is often described as tiredness that affects the entire body and often disrupts the individual's life. Cancer fatigue can make it difficult for patients to participate in normal activities. It may also affect their relationships as a result.

Fatigue occurs with cancer for a variety of reasons. In lymphoma and leukemia, the cancer cells within the patient's bone marrow can affect the production of blood cells, leading to anemia and subsequently, fatigue. Stomach cancer can result in anemia due to blood loss in the bowels, again causing fatigue to develop. Other cancers can cause fatigue by disrupting hormone functioning, secreting cytokines, and through the metabolic processes of tumors.