The three most "disguised" cancers, how can you get advanced cancer without any symptoms?

Xiao Liu never thought that he would be linked to cancer. That day, he participated in the physical examination organized by his company as usual, but the result hit him like a bolt from the blue: advanced gastric cancer. The doctor repeatedly confirmed the pathological test results and told him that the diagnosis was correct. Xiao Liu was at a loss for a moment, holding the report, tremblingly dialed his wife's phone.

Many people who are diagnosed with cancer have the same first reaction as Xiao Liu, suspecting that the doctor misdiagnosed them. How could they be in the late stage of cancer when they clearly do not feel any discomfort? In fact, the "no symptoms" in the late stage of cancer are only temporary. Once obvious symptoms appear, it is often very critical.

The body has already sent out signals

Although cancer strikes quietly, the body has already sent out warning signals. If you experience the following symptoms, you must pay attention to them:

1. Unexplained weight loss

If you are not intentionally losing weight, unexplained weight loss, especially in the elderly, may mean that something is wrong with your body. When cancer cells multiply and metastasize in large numbers, they consume a lot of energy, leading to malnutrition and continuous weight loss.

2. Low fever

Cancer patients may have a low fever in the early stage. This is due to the necrosis of cancer cells and the body absorbing these necrotic cells, which causes fever. In addition, cancer cells also secrete some factors that may also cause the body to heat up. This kind of fever of patients is generally low-grade, but it lasts for a long time, which means that the body is unwell.

3. Swollen lymph nodes

Cancer cells metastasize to the surrounding lymph nodes, causing them to swell and harden. Common lymph nodes include supraclavicular lymph nodes, axillary lymph nodes, and cervical lymph nodes. Supraclavicular lymph node enlargement is common in gastric cancer and lung cancer; axillary lymph node enlargement is common in breast cancer; and cervical lymph node enlargement is common in nasopharyngeal cancer and lymphoma.

4. Pain

Cancer patients may experience pain in the cancerous area in the middle or late stages of the disease. Cancer cells invade nerves or compress surrounding organs, causing pain. For example, patients with liver cancer may experience pain in the right upper abdomen, while patients with colorectal cancer or stomach cancer may experience abdominal pain.

Hide and seek: Cancer is hard to detect

Some cancers are particularly good at hiding, such as pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, and non-small cell lung cancer. Although they are difficult to detect, they do have some corresponding symptoms.

1. Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer patients usually experience upper abdominal pain, which worsens as the disease progresses, especially after eating. Secondly, pancreatic cancer patients also experience obvious jaundice and yellow urine. When pancreatic secretion is affected, patients may experience gastrointestinal bleeding, which manifests as blood in the stool.

2. Kidney cancer

The symptoms of kidney cancer are hidden, and 50% to 60% of kidney cancer patients are discovered accidentally during physical examinations. Common symptoms include low back pain and hematuria. In addition, abdominal masses are also symptoms that occur in a small number of kidney cancer patients.

3. Non-small cell lung cancer

In the early stages, patients may cough or even cough up blood, which is caused by tumor cell necrosis and small amounts of bleeding caused by capillary rupture. In addition, patients may experience chest pain and low-grade fever. When cancer cells spread, they may show symptoms such as fatigue and anorexia.

How to detect cancer lesions early

Regular physical examinations are key. No matter how subtle the symptoms of cancer are, regular physical examinations can detect cancer lesions in time and intervene in time to improve survival rate and quality of life.

1. Lung cancer

People over 40 should undergo low-dose spiral CT screening once a year. If you have a history of smoking, a family history, or lung nodules, you should have a CT scan at least every 3 months or 6 months.

2. Colorectal cancer

Colonoscopy is the most effective way to screen for colorectal cancer. If there is no family history or risk of polyps, colonoscopy screening should be done every 5 to 10 years; if there are intestinal polyps, colonoscopy should be done for two consecutive years after surgery.

3. Gastric cancer

Screening for Helicobacter pylori or pepsinogens is the main way to prevent and treat gastric cancer. If both test results are negative, a gastroscopy should be performed every 3 years; if one or both are positive, it is best to have a gastroscopy every year.

4. Breast cancer

Regular X-ray examinations are recommended. If there is a family member with breast cancer or abnormalities such as breast hyperplasia, MRI screening should be performed on top of X-ray examinations. It is best to perform breast cancer screening every 1 to 3 years.

5. Cervical cancer

HPV testing and cervical smear tests can effectively detect early lesions and intervene in time. It is best to add this test to your annual health check-up. If abnormal symptoms are found, you need to have a check-up every six months.

Although cancer is aggressive, if you can check regularly, you can find cancer in time and take corresponding countermeasures to prevent cancer from getting worse. Paying attention to health starts with regular physical examinations. I hope everyone can pay attention to physical examinations, early detection, early treatment, and early peace of mind.