Twelve Signs Of Cancer That Most Women Ignore

A woman's body is forever changing especially with age. Some of these changes may seem perfectly normal, but they really are not. Some of these changes can be signs of cancer. It is very important for women to keep an eye on the changes that her body goes through. Our bodies are really good at letting us know when something is not right. That is why it is so important to consult your doctor when you notice a new change or strange symptom.

1 Changes In the Breasts

In a lot of cases, a lump on the breast does not mean that you have cancer. However, if you do find one, you should definitely see a doctor. If you notice things like your nipples turning inward, nipple discharge, or any redness or scaling around your nipple, be sure to let your doctor know.

2 Bloating

Women naturally bloat. It is just a fact of life, but if your bloating does not go away and includes things like bleeding or weight loss, you should see your doctor. Constant bloating could be a sign of ovarian, colon, pancreatic, or gastrointestinal cancer.

3 Bleeding Between Periods

If you frequently spot between your menstrual cycles, go see your doctor. Any bleeding that is not part of your cycle can have other causes. Your doctor will need to rule out endometrial cancer.

4 Changes In Skin

Do you have a mole that seems to be getting bigger or have you developed new spots on your body? While these may seem natural, they are also a common sign of cancer. Your doctor will want to do a biopsy to rule anything out.

5 Blood In the Urine Or Stool

Blood in urine or stool is usually caused by hemorrhoids, but it can also be a sign of colon cancer. If you are bleeding from a place that you normally do not bleed from, especially if it lasts more than two day, see your doctor right away.

6 Lymph Nodes Changing

Lymph nodes are known to change when they get infected. In most cases, the infections are harmless and the body fights them off on its own. However, leukemia and lymphoma can cause your lymph nodes to swell. If you have prolonged swelling, you should see a doctor.

7 Can’t Swallow

If you often have issues with swallowing and also experience weight loss and vomiting, you could have stomach or throat cancer. If these symptoms continue for a few weeks, you need to see your doctor.

8 Unexpected Weight Loss

While most people wish that they could magically lose weight without diet and exercise, it could be a sign that something is seriously wrong. In some cases of sudden weight loss, it is caused by stress. However, it could also be caused by colon or pancreatic cancer.

9 Heartburn

In general, heartburn is caused by excessive food or alcohol consumption. It will usually go away with time and rest. If you have heartburn that does not go away or gets worse, it could be throat, ovary, or stomach cancer. Plus, constant heartburn will damage the lining of your esophagus which leads to Barrett's esophagus. Barrett's increases your risk of throat cancer.

10 Changes of the Mouth

If you are a woman who smokes, keep an eye out for white, gray, or yellow patches in your mouth. Canker sores will develop as well and could be a sign of oral cancer.

11 Developing a Fever

When you develop an illness like the flu, you will end up with a fever that lasts several days. However, if you have a fever that does not go away, it could mean a lot of things. Blood cancers and leukemia are two things that will bring on a fever that won't go away.

12 A Cough

In most cases, a cough will go away completely in about four weeks. A cough that lasts any longer than that is a sign that should not be ignored. If you are a smoker who coughs all of the time and also experiences shortness of breath, you should see your doctor as this could be a sign of lung cancer.