How to Detect Cancer Early

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

If you've had family members deal with cancer or you've been diagnosed with a precancerous condition, it's understandable that you might want to be alert for early signs of cancer. Since the signs, severity, and growth of cancer are completely unique to each individual, it's important to pay attention to any changes in your body. You can also talk with your doctor about doing genetic testing to determine your risk for developing a specific cancer. [1] Being aware of your risks and monitoring potential symptoms can increase your chances of survival if the cancer is detected early.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Recognizing Early Cancer Symptoms

PDF download Download Article
  1. Skin cancers can cause your skin to change color, making it darker, more yellow, or more red. If your skin changes color, make an appointment with your primary care physician or dermatologist. You may also notice more hair growing or itchy skin. If you have moles, you should watch for any changes in their appearance. [2] Another symptom of cancer is an unusual lump or body area that thickens.
    • Observe any sore that doesn't heal, or white patches in your mouth or on your tongue.
  2. If you have constipation that doesn't seem to go away, diarrhea, or any change in the size of your stool, they may indicate colon cancer. [3] Signs of prostate or bladder cancer can include: [4]
    • Painful urination
    • Needing to urinate more or less than usual
    • Unusual bleeding or discharge
    Advertisement
  3. If you've lost weight, but haven't been dieting, you have unexplained weight loss. Losing more than 10 pounds is an early sign of cancer of the pancreas, stomach, esophagus, or lung. [5]
    • You may also have trouble swallowing or might have indigestion after you eat. These are symptoms of esophageal, throat, or stomach cancer.
  4. Some of the earliest symptoms of cancer might seem like symptoms of the common cold, with some key differences. You may notice cough, fatigue, fever or unexplained pain (like severe headache). Unlike common illnesses, you won't feel better after resting, the cough won't go away, and you may not have any sign of infection despite having a fever. [6]
    • Pain might be one of the earliest symptoms of cancer you experience. Fever is usually a symptom once the cancer has progressed.
  5. Don't assume that because you've noticed several symptoms, you definitely have cancer. Cancer symptoms can vary a great deal and can be non-specific. This means that many similar symptoms can indicate a number of other health problems ranging in severity.
    • For example, fatigue can mean many things, only one of which is cancer. Instead, fatigue might just be one symptom of a different condition that you're experiencing. This is why a proper medical diagnosis is important.
    6. Advertisement
Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Screening for Cancer

PDF download Download Article
  1. Mammograms are x-rays of the breast that screen for lumps. If you're between the ages of 40 and 44, you can choose if you want to get mammograms every year. Women between the ages of 45 and 54 should get mammograms every year, according to the American Cancer Society. If you're over 55, you can continue yearly screening or get them every two years. [7]
    • All women should do monthly breast self-examinations (BSE). [8] Your doctor or nurse can teach you how to look for any changes in your breast tissue. Women 74 years of age or older do not need mammography screenings unless their life expectancy is greater than 10 years.
  2. At 50 years old, everyone should be regularly tested. Ask your doctor if you can be screened for cancer and polyps. This screening relies on getting tested every five years (like a flexible sigmoidoscopy, a double-contrast barium enema, or a virtual colonoscopy) or 10 years (if getting a colonoscopy). [9]
    • If your healthcare provider can't test for polyps, get tested for colon and rectal cancer. Every year you should have a blood test (guaiac-based fecal occult blood test) or a fecal immunochemical test (FIT). You could also do a stool DNA test every three years.
  3. Pap tests are important to diagnose cervical cancer, even if you've been vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV). If you're a woman between the ages of 21 and 29, get a Pap test every three years and only get HPV testing if you get an abnormal Pap test result. If you're between 30 and 65, get a Pap test plus an HPV test (called "co-testing") every five years. If you don't want to screen for HPV, you can just get a Pap test every three years. [10]
    • If you've had a total hysterectomy that wasn't because of cervical cancer, you don't need regular Pap tests.
    • If you're over 65 and have had regular testing with normal results for the past 10 years, you don't need testing anymore.
    • If you have a history of serious cervical pre-cancer, you should be tested for at least 20 years after the diagnosis (even if this means testing past age 65).
  4. Not everyone needs to be screened for lung cancer. If you're between the ages of 55 and 74, are in good health, and smoke heavily or have a history of smoking heavily, you should have CT scans to look for lung cancer. To decide if you are or were a heavy smoker, determine if you're still smoking and have a 30 "pack-year" history. [11]
    • You might also be considered a heavy smoker if you have a 30 pack-year history even if you've quit within the last 15 years.
    • To determine your pack-per-year amount, multiply the number of packs you smoke a day by the number of years you've smoked. So if you smoked two packs a day for 20 years, your pack-year is 40. You can also use an online calculator to determine pack-years for cigars, pipes, and cigarillos: https://www.smokingpackyears.com/
  5. Since several types of cancers have no definite guidelines, you should discuss your risk factors with your doctor. Your doctor may recommend whether or not you need to be screened. For oral cancers, you should ask your dentist for screening recommendations. In general, ask your doctor if you should be screened for: [12]
    • Prostate cancer
    • Endometrial (uterine) cancer
    • Thyroid cancer
    • Lymphoma
    • Testicular cancer
    6. Advertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Testing For Genetic Risk

PDF download Download Article
  1. Not everyone needs genetic testing to determine their cancer risk. If you feel like you'd benefit from knowing your genetic risk of developing cancer, talk with your doctor and make sure the doctor knows all of your family and personal medical history. Your doctor (and genetic counselor) can help you decide if there's a personal medical risk for cancer and if it's reasonable to get yourself tested for the genes responsible. [13]
    • Many cancers that can be genetically tested for are relatively rare, so it's important to discuss whether or not it makes sense for you to go through the testing.
  2. Since genetic testing can determine if you're at risk for cancer, it can be helpful in deciding how often to get physical exams and screenings. But, be aware that genetic testing can give few answers, be read incorrectly, and create stress and anxiety. It can also cost thousands of dollars. Many insurance companies aren't required to cover it, so check with your insurance provider to see how much of the bill you'd be responsible for. [14] Experts recommend that you get genetic testing done if: [15]
    • You or your family have an increased risk for a certain cancer
    • The test can clearly show if a genetic change is present or absent
    • The results will help you plan future medical care
  3. Testing is available to identify the genes responsible for over 50 types of inheritable cancer syndromes. Understand that if you do test positive for a gene responsible for a certain type of cancer, it does not mean that you will get that cancer. The following cancer syndromes can be related to screenable genes: [16]
    • Hereditary breast cancer and ovarian cancer syndrome
    • Li-Fraumeni syndrome
    • Lynch syndrome (hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer)
    • Familial adenomatous polyposis
    • Retinoblastoma
    • Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (Wermer syndrome) and type 2
    • Cowden syndrome
    • Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome
  4. Your doctor can request genetic testing if you both believe you'd benefit from it. You'll need to give a small sample of body tissue or fluid (like blood, saliva, cells from inside your mouth, skin cells, or amniotic fluid). This sample is sent to a lab which will analyze your sample and send the results back to your doctor. [17]
    • While it is possible to use an online genetic testing service, it's better to work with your doctor or genetic counselor so you can get detailed and personalized information.
  5. Your doctor or genetic counselor will consult with you about further screening or preventative options if your genetic screening comes back positive for a specific type of cancer. Genetic counselors have also been trained to offer emotional support and put you in touch with support groups and other resources. [18]
    • If you get a positive screening test back, remember that this does not mean you will get that cancer. It means that your risk of developing that particular cancer is increased. But, whether you actually develop the cancer depends on you, the specific gene, your family history, your lifestyle choices, and your environment.
    6. Advertisement

What Self Screening Methods Should I Be Doing?


Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • The World Health Organization (WHO), the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute have a number of screening guidelines for the most common forms of cancer. [19] These guidelines can change from time to time, based on new research and evidence.
        Thanks
        Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      Checking Your Lymph Nodes in Your Head, Neck, Armpit, and Groin
      Symptoms of Vulva Cancer (Plus Tips for Prevention)
      How to
      Self-Examine Your Prostate
      How to
      Recognize Signs of Oral Cancer
      Natural Ways to Lower PSA (and When to Seek Help)
      How to
      Recognize HPV in Women (Human Papillomavirus)
      How to
      Improve Prostate Health
      How to
      Recognize Colon Cancer Symptoms
      How to
      Shrink Your Prostate: Home & Medical Treatments
      How to
      Know if You Have a Lipoma
      How to
      Do a Pap Smear
      How to
      Diagnose Polycythemia Vera
      How to
      Diagnose Thyroid Cancer
      How to
      Detect Rectal Cancer
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk
      2. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15818-skin-cancer#symptoms-and-causes
      3. ↑ https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/signs-and-symptoms-of-colon-cancer.html
      4. ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/bladdercancer.html
      5. ↑ https://www.cancer.org/treatment/understanding-your-diagnosis/signs-and-symptoms-of-cancer.html
      6. ↑ https://www.cancer.org/treatment/understanding-your-diagnosis/signs-and-symptoms-of-cancer.html
      7. ↑ https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/american-cancer-society-guidelines-for-the-early-detection-of-cancer.html
      8. ↑ https://www.breastcancer.org/screening-testing/breast-self-exam-bse
      9. ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/colorectal-cancer/screening/index.html
      1. ↑ https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/american-cancer-society-guidelines-for-the-early-detection-of-cancer.html
      2. ↑ https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/detection-diagnosis-staging/how-diagnosed.html
      3. ↑ https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/american-cancer-society-guidelines-for-the-early-detection-of-cancer.html
      4. ↑ https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/genetic-testing-fact-sheet#q5
      5. ↑ http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/geneticsandcancer/genetictesting/genetic-testing-who-pays
      6. ↑ https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-causes/genetics/genetic-testing-for-cancer-risk/should-i-get-genetic-testing-for-cancer-risk.html
      7. ↑ http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/genetic-testing-fact-sheet#q5
      8. ↑ http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/genetic-testing-fact-sheet#q5
      9. ↑ http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/genetics/genetic-testing-fact-sheet#q5
      10. ↑ https://www.cancer.org/healthy/find-cancer-early/american-cancer-society-guidelines-for-the-early-detection-of-cancer.html

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 76,171 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Tamica Hall

        Jun 28, 2016

        "Good advice."
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement