More Common Signs
Fever that doesn’t go away. Fever is a common sign to many health conditions, it mostly implies that you’ve caught an infection. But it can also be traced to some cancers, including lymphoma [4], leukemia [5], and kidney and liver cancers. If your fever is related to cancer, you’ll observe that they often rise and fall during the day, and sometimes they peak at the same time. See your doctor if you have a temperature of over 100.5 degrees F that lasts for more than a few days.
Lump in the neck. This could be as a result of an infection, but also an early warning sign of mouth, throat, thyroid, and voice box (larynx) cancers. Cancer lumps usually don’t hurt. If you have one that doesn’t go away or grows, see your doctor.
Night sweats. This is a common sign of menopause in middle-aged women, although it can be a symptom of cancer or an infection.
Skin changes. You may start to experience skin changes, like a sore that isn’t healing if you have skin cancer [6]. See a dermatologist is you observe any of these changes on your skin:
- Spots getting bigger or thicker
- Change in skin color
- A sore that has an oddly shaped border
- Spots Is bigger than a pencil eraser
- Crusts or scabs over and doesn’t heal
Swollen lymph nodes. Lumps in the side of your neck are most likely from strep throat or another infection. You can also experience a swollen lymph node when cancerous cells begin to spread. Less often, cancers like lymphoma or leukemia can make the lymph nodes swell up. Breast cancer that has spread can cause swelling in lymph nodes under the arms. If the doesn’t go away in a week, visit your doctor for examining.
Difficulty swallowing. Finding it difficult to swallow and it feels like there’s a lump in your throat is a common symptom of heartburn. It can also be a sign of cancer of the esophagus. If the feeling doesn’t let up or it gets worse, see your doctor.
Rapid loss of weight without trying. Although not everyone that has cancer loses weight. It also depends on the type of cancer one is suffering from.