Symptoms of these three types of cancer are often mistaken for something else
2
Some types of cancer are very difficult to detect because in the early stages of the disease their symptoms are often mistaken for something else.
Early detection and diagnosis of cancer is crucial to saving lives. Cancer Research UK said that cancer diagnosed at an early stage, before it has spread, is more likely to be successfully treated. But some types of cancer are particularly difficult to detect early. Their symptoms are often similar to other, less serious conditions and can be easily overlooked.
The symptoms of these three common cancers are particularly often mistaken for something else, according to experts in the Mirror.
Pancreatic cancer.It has a grim reputation as the cancer with the lowest survival rate – more than half of patients die soon after receiving the news of their diagnosis. According to Pancreatic Cancer UK, five signs of this type of cancer can be mistaken for a common ailment – they are abdominal pain, back pain, indigestion, weight loss, and changes in bowel habits.
Ovarian cancer. Its symptoms often only become noticeable when the disease reaches a late stage and is much harder to treat. Cancer Research UK notes that there are two worrying symptoms of ovarian cancer that can be mistaken for something else: constipation and diarrhoea. In addition, it is characterized by rapid satiety or loss of appetite, abdominal pain or bloating, and the need to urinate more often.
Bowel cancer. Doctors at Bowel Cancer UK have called its subtle symptoms bleeding from the anus, resembling hemorrhoids, or changes in the usual bowel habits (for example, looser stools, more frequent bowel movements or constipation). Rapid weight loss and pain in the abdomen or back can also indicate a dangerous disease.
Leave a Reply