Would I know if I had cancer?

Would I know if I had cancer?

Cancer can affect various tissues in the body, causing a range of signs and symptoms, such as weight loss, fatigue, skin changes, and a persistent cough. Anyone who experiences persistent or worrisome symptoms should consult a doctor.

Can you smell cancer on a person?

People aren't able to smell cancer, but you can smell some symptoms associated with cancer. … The odor would be the result of dead or necrotic tissue or of bacteria within the wound. If you have a bad odor coming from an ulcerating tumor, see your doctor.

What does cancer fatigue feel like?

The fatigue felt by people with cancer is different from the fatigue of daily life and different from the tired feeling people might remember having before they had cancer. People with cancer might describe it as feeling very weak, listless, drained, or “washed out” that may decrease for a while but then comes back.

Can cancer go undetected for years?

Cancer May Grow Undetected for a Decade or More. A study conducted by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine provides strong new evidence that malignant tumors may grow undetected in the body for a decade or more before they can be sniffed out by the most sophisticated blood tests currently available.

Do blood tests detect cancer?

Examples of blood tests used to diagnose cancer include: Complete blood count (CBC). … Blood cancers may be detected using this test if too many or too few of a type of blood cell or abnormal cells are found. A bone marrow biopsy may help confirm a diagnosis of a blood cancer.

How long can you have cancer without knowing?

For example, certain types of skin cancer can be diagnosed initially just by visual inspection — though a biopsy is necessary to confirm the diagnosis. But other cancers can form and grow undetected for 10 years or more, as one study found, making diagnosis and treatment that much more difficult.

How do I know I don’t have cancer?

"It's often caused by stress or your thyroid, but it can be a sign of pancreatic cancer," she says. Other types of cancer such as colon, stomach and lung cancers are also possible.

How quickly can cancer spread?

Cancer cells form when DNA abnormalities cause a gene to behave differently than it should. They can grow into nearby tissue, spread through the bloodstream or lymph system, and spread through the body. Malignant tumors tend to grow faster than benign tumors.

Can you feel cancer?

Many cancers can be felt through the skin. These cancers occur mostly in the breast, testicle, lymph nodes (glands), and the soft tissues of the body. A lump or thickening may be an early or late sign of cancer and should be reported to a doctor, especially if you've just found it or notice it has grown in size.

What cancer is curable?

Although there is no cure for cancer yet, detecting and treating the disease at an early stage can significantly improve a person's outlook. The cancers with the highest 5-year relative survival rates include melanoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, and breast, prostate, testicular, cervical, and thyroid cancer.

Is back pain a sign of cancer?

Lower back pain is a common occurrence and rarely a sign of cancer. However, it's possible to have lower back pain related to cancers such as spinal, colorectal, or ovarian cancer. … Cancer is a rare but possible cause of lower back pain in some people.