Our body is like a sophisticated instrument that often sends us messages through some subtle changes. Some seemingly ordinary physical signals, which persist without finding a clear cause, may be that the body is sounding the cancer alarm. To detect these changes in a timely manner and to seek professional evaluation is essential for the protection of health and the prevention of diseases. Especially for anti-cancer and cancer prevention, early identification of abnormal physical signals is of great significance. The following six categories of ongoing physical changes require vigilance:
1. “Unidentified lumps appear on the body”
If you feel a new, unexplained bulge or hard lump on your body, especially if it is relatively large (for example, more than 1 cm), feels relatively hard, is fixed in a fixed position, cannot be touched on the edges, and continues to grow, you must pay attention to it.
2. “The cause cannot be found and the fever persists”
After ruling out common colds, flu or other definite infections, the body temperature still rises repeatedly or never recedes, and no reasonable explanation can be found. This unexplained state of fever deserves further investigation.
3. “I didn’t deliberately lose weight but my weight dropped significantly, accompanied by extreme exhaustion”
In the absence of dieting or increased exercise, significant weight loss in a short period of time accompanied by extreme fatigue, poor energy, feeling prolonged and difficult to relieve by rest. This combination of signals tends to suggest abnormal internal body attrition, potentially hiding health risks.
4. “There was no injury but abnormal bleeding occurred”
Unexplained bleeding in the body without bumping injuries. Like:
1. Abnormal color of urine or stool (such as redness, watery flesh washing, or like black tar);
2. Bleeding in the private parts or after contact in women who are not menstruating;
3. Blood streaks or spots in your sputum when you cough.
These situations require attention.
V. Long-term discomfort of the digestive system
If the feeling of gastrointestinal discomfort persists for a long time, it affects normal life, such as:
1. Continued bad appetite, no desire to eat;
2. Feeling hard, having something clogged, or in pain while swallowing food;
3. Repeated or persistent nausea and vomiting;
4. Often feeling bloated, painful, or inexplicably uncomfortable in your stomach.
These constant signals are all cause for concern.
6. Defecation habits and appearance have changed significantly
There are noticeable and constant changes in the pattern of going to the toilet or the way poop looks, such as:
1. Constipation and diarrhea alternate irregularly;
2. The stool shape continues to become thin and flat;
3. Color abnormalities (such as redness, dullness, or blackness) can be seen in the stool;
4. The number of times you go to the toilet suddenly increases or decreases a lot every day, or you always feel like you want to pull and you can’t pull it clean.
Important note
1. Does not mean confirmed diagnosis: The above signal does not mean that you must have a serious problem! A lot of ordinary, benign little faults can cause similar situations. Be vigilant, but don’t panic excessively.
2. Attention “change” and “continuity”: The key is to discover anomalies that are different from the past, new, long-lasting or becoming more and more serious.
3. Large individual variation: Each person’s physical response is different, and the same health problems can vary widely across different people.
4. Seeking medical attention promptly is the best policy: When the above signals appear in the body, especially when there are several at the same time, or the situation continues to worsen, the wisest thing to do is to see a doctor as soon as possible. The doctor will find out the cause through detailed inquiries, physical examinations and necessary further examinations (such as blood tests, radiographs, etc).
5. The value of early detection is huge: for maintaining health, especially cancer prevention and fighting cancer, it is crucial to identify potential problems early! It leads to better coping and more choices. Taking the initiative to pay attention to the “language” of the body and communicating with the doctor in a timely manner is an important step for everyone to take responsibility for their own health.
Oncology Reminder
Knowing and paying attention to the persistence “alarm” issued by the body is a key starting point for proactively managing health and striving for early prevention and treatment. Keep this attention, seek professional help in a timely manner, give health more protection, and take the initiative in preventing and fighting cancer!
Disclaimer: All photos used in this blog are generated by artificial intelligence (AI). These images are original creations produced by AI technology and do not depict real people, places, or events. They are provided for illustrative purposes only and cannot be claimed or used as real photographs.
Dr. Ashish Singh is not just a consultant orthopaedic surgeon but a visionary leader in the field. Serving as the Medical Director at Anup Institute of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation in Patna, Bihar, he holds an illustrious academic background with MBBS, MS Ortho, MCh.Orth. (UK), PG Diploma CAOS (UK), and SICOT Diploma Orth. (Sweden).
