Step 1: Cancer Symptoms & Signs

BLEEDING / DISCHARGE / BRUISING

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Bleeding from nipples ⁽¹⁰⁾
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding ⁽¹¹⁾
• Bleeding after intercourse ⁽¹²⁾
• Post-menopause bleeding ⁽¹³⁾
• Blood appears when coughing ⁽¹⁴⁾
• Bleeding from a mole or scab without scratching ⁽¹⁵⁾
• Blood clots/chips in urine ⁽¹⁶⁾
• Blood discharge from the penis ⁽¹⁷⁾
• Blood in the semen following ejaculation ⁽¹⁸⁾
• Blood appears when vomiting or spitting up ⁽¹⁹⁾
• Frequent nosebleeds ⁽²⁰⁾
• Unexplained bruises, black, and blue marks ⁽²¹⁾
• Extended or irregular heavy periods of bleeding ⁽¹²⁾

BREAST CHANGES (MEN & WOMEN)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Nipple tenderness ⁽¹⁰⁾
• Lumps no matter how small ⁽²²⁾
• Inflammation and a warm feeling ⁽²³⁾
• Skin texture changes like thickening, hardening, or looking like an orange peel ⁽¹⁰⁾
• Nipple changes that include sinking, a rash, newly Inverted, redness, scaling, or flaking ⁽¹⁰⁾
• Persistent pain in breast or under armpit ⁽²³⁾
• Breast tissue dimples or wrinkles when stretching arms or flexing chest muscles ⁽²³⁾
• Nipple discharge or bleeding ⁽¹⁰⁾
• Breast or nipple changes in size or shape, larger or smaller, especially if one-sided ⁽²²⁾
• Cracked, dry nipple without breastfeeding ⁽²²⁾

 CHANGES IN FINGER AND TOE NAILS

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Bleeding nails ⁽²⁴⁾
• Infected, swelling, or redness around nail ⁽²⁴⁾
• Nails that are pitted ⁽²⁴⁾
• Ridges and/or bumps under a nail ⁽²⁵⁾
• Enlargement at the end of a finger, with nail curved down ⁽²⁴⁾
• Any unexplained changes to nails, such as weakness, brittleness, thickening, or a change in shape ⁽²⁶⁾
• A black-brown vertical stripe or white dots on top of the nail ⁽²⁶⁾
• Yellow, white, or discolored nails ⁽²⁴⁾
• Pigmentation changes by the cuticles ⁽²⁵⁾
• Rounding of the nail beds and fingertips and increased thickness of skin at the fingertips (Finger clubbing) ⁽²⁴⁾
• Washboard like series of depressions on thumbnail ⁽²⁷⁾

CHRONIC FATIGUE/WEAKNESS

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Feeling exhausted after getting extensive sleep ⁽²⁸⁾
• You have no energy, the entire body feels fatigued and weak ⁽²⁹⁾
• Inability to participate in normal activities, work, or social life ⁽²⁸⁾
• Having the need to nap constantly ⁽³⁰⁾
• Arms and Legs feel heavy and hard to move ⁽²⁸⁾

CONTINUOUS SWELLING/BLOATING

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Bloated, hard, or puffy belly  (Abdomen) that does not go away with a change in diet or after bowel movement ⁽³¹⁾
• Swelling in the legs and arms that are hot feeling or have redness ⁽²⁸⁾
• Face, throat, and neck swelling ⁽³²⁾
• Swelling near a joint – rings too tight for fingers ⁽³³⁾
• Regurgitating food ⁽¹⁴⁾
• Subtle tickle, scratch, or burning in throat ⁽¹⁴⁾
• Abdominal discomfort- cramps, gas, or pain ⁽⁶³⁾

COUGH/WHEEZING/OUT OF BREATH

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• A persistent cough that lasts more than three weeks ⁽³⁴⁾
• Breathless feeling when you walk a short distance (e.g. crossing the street) ⁽¹¹⁾
• Sharp, persistent pain in chest, back, or shoulder when coughing ⁽¹¹⁾
• Breathless feeling comes on suddenly during, activities or even when lying down ⁽¹¹⁾
• Painful feeling when taking a deep breath ⁽¹²⁾
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath ⁽¹⁴⁾
• Respiratory infections that come back ⁽¹²⁾

EAR CHANGES

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Scaly patches ⁽³⁶⁾
• White lumps under skin in middle ear ⁽³⁷⁾
• Discharge from ear ⁽³⁷⁾
• Hearing loss ⁽³⁸⁾
  
• Earache ⁽³⁶⁾
• Ringing in ear ⁽³⁸⁾
  

EYE CHANGES

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Changes in the way eye moves in socket ⁽³⁹⁾
• Changes in size or shape of pupil ⁽³⁹⁾
• Floats in eye ⁽³⁹⁾
• Growths on the eyelid or on the surface of the eye ⁽³⁹⁾
• Bulging of the eye ⁽³⁹⁾
• Excessive tearing ⁽³⁹⁾
• Sudden onset of double vision or pain around the eye ⁽⁴⁰⁾
• Dark or flesh-like spots on the iris of the eye (instead of colored or white part of the eye) ⁽⁴⁰⁾
• Yellowing eye ⁽⁹⁾
• Shadow, flashes of light, wiggly lines or blurred vision ⁽⁴⁰⁾

HEAVY NIGHT SWEATS

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Frequently drenched nightwear and sheets after waking from sleep ⁽⁴¹⁾

INDIGESTION AND HEARTBURN

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Frequent upset stomach ⁽⁴²⁾
• Frequent bouts of burning sensation in upper abdomen or a feeling of stomach acid ⁽⁴²⁾
• Uncomfortable fullness after a meal ⁽⁴³⁾

LOW GRADE FEVER

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Consistent temperature above 100.4ºF (38ºC) for more than two weeks ⁽³²⁾

LYMPH NODES

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Painless enlargement or lump in the head or neck, armpit, groin, or backs of knees… especially if there has been NO infection. ⁽⁴⁴⁾

NON-STOP ITCHING

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Intense itching not relieved with lotions or antihistamines ⁽⁴⁵⁾
• Itching after a warm bath or hot shower ⁽⁴⁶⁾
• Uncontrollable itching, especially at night for no apparent reason ⁽⁴⁷⁾

ORAL (MOUTH, TONGUE & THROAT)

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Pain, tenderness, or numbness in mouth or lips ⁽⁴⁸⁾
• Patch, spot, painful sore (ulceration), or a bump, growth in the mouth or throat that will not go away (2 weeks) ⁽⁴⁸⁾
• Patches and spots that are red, white, or mixed color that sometimes can be painful ⁽⁴⁸⁾
• Difficulty chewing, swallowing, speaking, moving tongue, or jaw ⁽⁴⁸⁾
• A persistent swelling of one side of the neck
• Changes in how teeth line up when your mouth closed ⁽⁴⁸⁾
• Trouble opening mouth ⁽³⁸⁾
• Excess saliva ⁽¹⁴⁾

SCROTUM/TESTICLE CHANGES

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Lump or swelling in either testicle that is usually not painful ⁽⁴⁹⁾
• Unexpected firmness of the testicle ⁽⁴⁹⁾
• Enlargement of a testicle or scrotum ⁽⁴⁹⁾
• Feeling of heaviness in the scrotum ⁽⁴⁹⁾
• Dull ache in the lower abdomen or in the groin ⁽⁴⁹⁾
• Sudden collection of fluid in the scrotum ⁽⁴⁹⁾
• Pain or discomfort in a testicle or in the scrotum ⁽⁴⁹⁾
• Erection difficulty, decrease in ejaculation fluid, or pain ⁽⁴⁹⁾

SEVERE HEADACHE

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Pain when coughing, exercising, getting up, or moving ⁽⁵⁰⁾
• Dizziness and lightheadedness ⁽⁵¹⁾
• Headache continues after taking over-the-counter medicine for more than two weeks ⁽⁵⁰⁾
• Headaches are more intense than normal ⁽³⁸⁾
• Mental state change- Memory loss or confusion ⁽⁵⁰⁾
• Mood changes ⁽⁵⁰⁾

SKIN CHANGES

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Check your moles, freckles, birthmarks, and other body markings for any ABCDE changes. ⁽¹⁵⁾
  • A – Asymmetrical: two halves of mole differ
  • B – Border: rough uneven edges
  • C – Color: multiple colors in the same patch or mole
  • D – Diameter: larger than a pencil eraser (1/4 inches or 6 millimeters)
  • E – Evolving: any new symptoms, including bleeding, itching, or crusting
• Skin color becomes darker, ashy, yellowish, or pale ⁽⁹⁾
• Excessive hair growth ⁽⁹⁾
• Red, itchy skin ⁽⁵²⁾
• Sudden bleeding around moles blemishes ⁽⁵²⁾
• Thickening or hardening of skin ⁽⁵³⁾
• Blisters on face ⁽⁵⁴⁾
• Unexplained bruising or bright red spots appear ⁽¹⁵⁾
• Scratch, skin ulcer, or mole with bleeding, crusts, or scabs not healing that ooze or do not heal ⁽⁵²⁾
• Sores or skin changes on the penis or vagina ⁽⁵⁵⁾
• Uneven texture and fatty under skin ⁽⁵⁶⁾
• Large mole ⁽⁵²⁾

SWALLOWING ISSUES/HOARSENESS

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Pain when swallowing food ⁽⁵⁷⁾
• Hoarseness with a husky or low voice that lasts more than two weeks ⁽¹⁴⁾
• Feeling like something is pressing on your throat or stuck in your windpipe
• Pain in the tongue or jaw
• Voice pitch change in adults lasting more than 2 weeks ⁽⁵⁸⁾
• Throat pain ⁽¹⁴⁾

THYROID GLAND

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Bulging or protrusion of thyroid gland. The thyroid gland is located just below the “Adam’s” apple. ⁽⁵⁹⁾

TUMOR/LUMP/MASS/BUMP

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Any growth on the body, especially in or on the breast, nipple, stomach, armpit, groin, or neck
• Change in size of an existing lump or swelling
• Sudden or unexplained bulges in your body
• Swelling or enlargement of a testicle
• A mass on the left side of stomach
• Enlarged spleen either under or to the left of ribs
• Lumps under skin

UNEXPLAINED FALLS

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Tendency to trip easily
• Loss of balance
• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Trouble walking

UNEXPLAINED PAIN

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Abdominal pain
• Rectal, facial, or groin pain ⁽³⁸⁾
• Pain in the joints and bones (feels almost like a broken bone) ⁽³²⁾
• Inconsistent pain in shoulder, lower back, or chest ⁽¹¹⁾
• Pain during intercourse
• Pain when coughing
• Pain under either side of rib cage
• Pain behind the breast bone
• Stomach cramps,gas, or pains
• Tenderness or pain in back of the lower leg(s) or when flexing toes upward

UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT CHANGES #17, #8, #23

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Unexpected loss  of about 10 pounds (5 kilograms) or 10% of your weight within 2 months ⁽⁶⁰⁾
• Unexplained weight gain, especially when associated with bloating ⁽⁶⁰⁾

URINE OR STOOL CHANGES

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Any change to your normal pattern of urine or bowel movement ⁽⁶¹⁾
• Blood in stool or urine ⁽⁶¹⁾
• Repeated and frequent diarrhea or constipation for no apparent reason ⁽⁶¹⁾
• Frequent, constantly urgent feeling or need to go to the bathroom (stool or urine)
• Not feeling totally empty after urinating or having a bowel movement ⁽⁶¹⁾
• Pain or difficulty urinating or having a bowel movement ⁽⁶¹⁾
• Changes in the size, shape, or color of the stool ⁽⁶²⁾
• Black, dark, or red stool ⁽⁹⁾
• Changes in urine flow
• Rectal bleeding
• Urine color changes to a tea color or has red chips
• Pale or smelly stool
• Fatty coating over stool
• Loss of bladder control