If you have any of these symptoms, you do not necessarily have cancer. But you should see your doctor immediately for a thorough check-up.

LUNG

  • Persistent cough
  • Sputum streaked with blood
  • Shortness of breath
  • New onset of wheezing
  • Recurrent pneumonia or bronchitis
  • Hoarseness
  • Chest pain that is often worse with deep breathing, coughing, or laughing

BREAST

  • A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm that persists through the menstrual cycle
  • A mass or lump in your breast, which may feel as small as a pea
  • A change in the size, shape, or contour of the breast
  • A blood-stained or clear fluid discharge from the nipple
  • A change in the feel or appearance of the skin on the breast or nipple (dimpled, puckered, scaly, or inflamed)
  • Redness of the skin on the breast or nipple
  • An area that is distinctly different from any other area on either breast
  • A marble-like hardened area under the skin

 

COLON AND RECTUM

  • Having chronic diarrhea or constipation
  • Feeling that your bowel does not empty completely
  • Finding blood (either bright red or very dark) in your stools
  • Finding that your stools are narrower than usual
  • Feeling frequent gas pains or cramps
  • Losing weight for no known reason
  • Feeling very tired all the time
  • Having nausea or vomiting

 

PROSTATE

  • Not being able to pass urine
  • Having a hard time starting or stopping the urine flow
  • Needing to urinate often, especially at night
  • Weak flow of urine
  • Urine flow that appears to start and stop on its own
  • Pain or burning during urination
  • Difficulty having an erection
  • Blood in the urine or semen
  • Frequent pain in the lower back, hips, or upper thighs

UTERUS, OVARY, AND CERVIX

  • Abnormal vaginal bleeding, including bleeding after menopause
  • Unusual vaginal discharge
  • Enlargement of the abdomen
  • Pelvic or abdominal pain—may also occur during intercourse
  • Persistent indigestion, gas or nausea

SKIN

  • Smooth, pearly or translucent lumps that may bleed or crust over
  • Asymmetry — one half of a mole looks different than the other half
  • Flat red spots that are scaly, crusty or smooth
  • Border irregularity-the edges of a mole are ragged, blurred or notched
  • Firm reddish lumps
  • Color — the shade may vary from one part of the mole to the other
  • Persistent, scaly, reddish or brownish patches on parts of the skin that have been exposed to the sun
  • Diameter — the mole is larger than a pencil eraser
  • Evolving — A mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or color