Cancer is an awful condition that can impact various parts of the body, but understanding the warning signs early can help ensure you seek medical help quickly if something appears abnormal.

An innocuous lump in the breast or persistent cough are early indicators of cancer. Other indicators, including loss of appetite or blood in stool may signal serious health problems.

1. Unusual bleeding or discharge

Cancer’s symptoms depend on its location and type. If you experience unusual signs or symptoms that won’t go away, speak with your physician immediately.

Blood in your stool could indicate anything from an ulcer to colon or rectal cancer, while abnormal bleeding from your nipples or uterus could indicate endometrial cancer in women.

Although these symptoms could be the result of less serious conditions, it’s still wise to consult your physician as early detection is the key to fighting cancer successfully.

2. Lumps or thickening

Cancerous tumors can create lumpy masses under the skin that feel like lumps. These lumps, also called growths, can vary in size and location. Other conditions that cause lumps include cysts, lipomas (fatty deposits), inflammatory acne or warts.

These symptoms of cancer are just some of the many indicators doctors can use to detect it early and make a proper diagnosis. Therefore, it’s essential that any changes occuring within your body are reported immediately to a healthcare provider; particularly concerning any lumps or sores that don’t heal quickly.

3. Sores that don’t heal

Unhealed wounds should always be evaluated by a healthcare provider as these could be indicators of cancer.

Sores in your mouth or throat that bleed continuously could be signs of oral cancer; persistent coughing could signal lung or thyroid cancer; blood in stool could indicate colon or rectal cancer; etc.

Many of the warning signs doctors look out for are innocuous changes, which don’t point to specific types or locations of cancer, yet can prompt your physician to conduct further analysis on your health – potentially helping you combat cancer sooner.

4. Changes in bowel or bladder habits

Treatment for cancer works best when detected early, before its tumor has the chance to spread. Symptoms depend on the type of cancer; any changes in your body should be taken seriously.

Long-term constipation or diarrhea, for instance, could be an indicator of colon cancer; urinary pain or blood in the urine might point toward bladder or prostate cancer; changes in bowel or bladder habits might include bloating, indigestion and difficulty swallowing (particularly meat or pills) among other indicators; consult your physician regarding any such signs and symptoms.

5. Hoarseness or cough

Hoarseness is a common complaint that may be brought on by anything from allergies or infections, to cancer in the throat or larynx. If it continues or does not go away on its own, however, this could be an early indicator.

Hoarseness can also be an indicator of other problems, including Parkinson’s disease or spasmodic dysphonia – both rare neurological conditions. Hoarseness could also signal lung problems like emphysema or chronic bronchitis.

If your hoarseness is accompanied by coughing up blood or an unusual choking sensation, seek medical advice immediately as these are telltale signs of cancer and should be treated quickly.

6. Unusual bleeding

Cancers can cause blood to appear where it shouldn’t. For instance, cancer in your gastrointestinal tract could lead to blood appearing in your stool and tumors on the urinary tract may bleed into bladder and urethra. Other cancers can bleed as well; excessive bleeding often appears with pancreatic and liver cancers as well as lung or oral cancers; they should always be taken seriously as possible warning signs.

Cancer symptoms often resemble other health issues or injuries, yet any change that does not quickly subside should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

7. Changes in size or color of a wart or mole

Moles and warts may appear similar at first glance; however, their characteristics, risks, and treatments differ substantially. It’s wise to monitor any skin growths closely for any changes in size, color, texture or size as these will allow early identification of changes that could require treatment.

The ABCDE rule can help identify precancerous or cancerous moles. Asymmetry – Where one half appears different from the other B: Border is scalloped or fuzzy instead of having well-defined edges C: Color not uniform across mole, with shades of brown, black, tan, pink or red C: Diameter larger than six millimeters D: Diameter dangerous mole

Although many of these symptoms have less severe causes, none should be ignored. By paying attention to warning signs and visiting your physician regularly, cancer can often be detected early and treated effectively.