The next letter in our acronym for early detection of the signs of cancer is U. This stands for unusual discharge or bleeding. Now, like anything, there are many other conclusions to unusual discharge or bleeding than the signs of cancer that we will discuss. However, I believe the signs of cancer we will discuss to be of most importance. There are two areas that we will focus on the most with this subject. The first signs of cancer discussed will be on colorectal cancer. These types of cancer affect both male and female clients. The second signs of cancer we will discuss are a few affecting the female reproductive system, mainly cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers.

Colorectal cancer affects both men and women and is close to the fifth most common type of cancer. It kills around 50,000 people a year and affects around 150,000. The good news is; colorectal cancer can be prevented and if found early enough, can be stopped. One of the signs of cancer of the colon that a doctor is looking for is a polyp. This is a small growth in your intestine. Usually, the doctor can remove this and keep the cancer from spreading or doing any further damage. Many myths surround this cancer and need to be resolved. One such myth is that African American men and women can’t get this cancer. This is false! As a matter of fact, African Americans are at a higher risk for colorectal cancer than anyone else; the reason is still not understood. Also, it is only a myth that age isn’t a factor for this type of cancer. False! Most signs of cancer of the colon and rectum are found in individuals age 50 or over. The most common signs of cancer for colorectal cancer is bleeding. These are the things you need to be watching for:
• Blood in the stool or on the toilet tissue.
• Extremely dark, tarry, and odorous stool, called Melena. This is a sign of blood in the colon or superior intestine.
• Bleeding of any kind without stool being passed.
• Unusual change in bowel habit to diarrhea. Although already discussed, let’s also consider this an unusual discharge.
Before I end the signs of cancer for the colon or rectum, please don’t get alarmed by a small amount of blood. This could just be bleeding from hemorrhoids. Either way, you should be getting screened.

Next, we will discuss the signs of cancer affecting the female reproductive organs. Let’s start with the signs of cancer for the cervix. Cervical cancer affects almost 13,000 women a year and kills close to 4,290. Most cases of cervical cancer are found in women younger than 50 years of age, but can occur at ages over 65. The most common cause of cervical cancer is the Human Papilloma Virus or HPV. A papilloma is a wart and can affect the surface of the cervix. There are actually vaccinations for HPV and are best offered to girls at age 11 or over, before sexual activity, but we won’t get into the morals or ethics of vaccinations. The best method for spotting the signs of cancer of the cervix is a PAP test. The PAP test has actually decreased the amount of deaths from cervical cancer by 70% between 1955 and 1992!

Ovarian cancer is much more deadly according to the numbers. Almost 22,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, of which over 15,000 will die from this disease. Although studies show an increased incidence of ovarian cancer in women who use hormones of both male and female origins, it seems that family history may be a bigger factor. You run a high risk of ovarian cancer if you have a family history of: breast, colorectal, or ovarian cancer. Also, studies have shown that talc powder applied directly to the genitalia, has been the cause of this disease. Another cause could be correlated to obesity. As with almost all diseases, a healthy diet and exercise could reduce your risk. Believe it or not, aspirin has been known to reduce the occurrence of this disease. So, a baby (or low dose) aspirin a day can keep the doctor away.

Even more alarming is Endometrial Cancer. This cancer occurs in more than 46,000 women, 8,120 will die from this disease. Unbelievable enough, the number of menstrual cycles correlates to this disease. If you have a fewer amount, you run a lower risk. Therefore, if you are on oral contraceptives, you run a lower risk. Much like ovarian cancer, hormones levels play an important role in this type of cancer. Hormone treatment (estrogen treatment) can increase your risk. Also, obesity can increase your risk.

So, what are the signs of cancer for the female reproductive organs? It’s really simple:
• Any bleeding between periods or after menopause should be further investigated.
• Unusual discharge, not containing blood, should also be further investigated.
Ask yourself a few questions:
1. Is this discharge normal?
2. Is this bleeding normal?
3. Are there any palpable (able to feel) masses?
4. Have I been screened recently (Women who have been sexually active for at least 3 years or 21 years old).
As with any disease, early detection can increase your survival rate! Screenings and annual physicals can greatly increase your time here. Things to remember about the signs of cancer for the colon and rectum or female reproductive organs:
1. Watch for bleeding!
2. Stay attuned to discharge!
3. Get screenings and physicals!

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Our second letter in our acronym for the signs of cancer is A. As far as signs of cancer, this stands for a sore that won’t heal. First, if you have diabetes or other conditions that affect healing, a sore that won’t heal isn’t necessarily indicative of any signs of cancer.  Sometimes, it could be something as simple as the method in which you are trying to heal the sore or the amount of protein you consume. At other times, the lack of healing could be caused by the amount of alcohol you consume. As always, the signs of cancer we discuss are only a way for individuals to become more aware and hopefully be more able to detect these signs of cancer sooner for a more positive prognosis.

The scariest part about skin cancer is the fact that it is the most common of all cancers. As a matter of fact, skin cancer accounts for almost 50% of all cancers! Over 2 million people each year will be diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer, and over 60,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma. In a bit, we will discuss the signs of cancer for the skin. However, let’s first take a quick look at what these types of cancer are.

There are basically 2 types of non-melanoma skin cancer; basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinomas. These cells are most vulnerable because of where they are located, on the bottom of the outer layer of the skin. Skin cancers of these types are most common on the places sun light touches the most: face, lips, ears, the neck, and the back of your hands. There is some good news though, these types of cancer rarely spread to other parts of the body. These types of cancer may be cured if they are found early, that is why it is so important to spot the signs of cancer no matter what kind of cancer it is.

Inside of your skin is a dark pigment that is meant to protect you from the sun’s harmful rays named melanin. Melanoma affects these cells and that is where this dangerous cancer stems from. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer and accounts for most skin cancer deaths. Spotting the signs of cancer for melanoma is a positive thing, as always. If you can spot it soon enough, it is almost always curable.

Now back to the signs of cancer for the skin. Most obviously, the first signs of cancer for the skin are any weird change. Things to look for are:

• A brand new sore that just doesn’t seem to heal.
• A lump that has an appearance like: waxy, scaly, or smooth and shiny.
• Oozing or bleeding from a reddened lump.
• Itching or changes in sensation to a portion of your skin.
• Spreading pigmentation, or darker skin, beyond what is normal for the area.

The best news about this type of cancer…….IT CAN BE PREVENTED!! Try to stay out of the sun between extreme daylight hours. You can wear a hat and cover as much skin as possible to decrease your exposure. Sunscreen? Absolutely! Don’t be afraid to put on sunscreen. Choose a high SPF sun screen and apply it anytime you will be exposed to the sun for extended periods of time. Even when there is cloud coverage, UV rays can travel through them. Just because it’s cloudy outside doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry. Try to wear wrap around sun glasses to protect your eyes.

Doing these things and watching to spot the signs of cancer for the skin will give you a step up in the stop of this dangerous disease. If you don’t find what you are looking for on my site, you can always do a custom search at the top and bottom of the page. I have excluded the mumbo jumbo and left the search to only cancer and related issued. Signs of cancer may appear at anytime in life. Stay motivated!

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The first sign of cancer that we have in our acronym is a change in bowel or bladder habits. What are the types of cancer this could reveal? What signs are we looking for exactly? Let’s start out with the boys. Prostate cancer claims the life of 24 out of 100,000 men. The most common sign of this cancer is difficulty in urination or a weak stream during urination. The prostate, whether a sign of cancer or not, can enlarge and start to occlude (pinch off) the urethra.

Although the next few cancers I will discuss can affect both men and women, they still result in the same signs of cancer for both sexes. Almost 18 out of 100,000 people die from colon cancer. Signs of colon cancer are relatively easy to spot. The most common sign of cancer for the colon is blood in your stool. If you notice bright red blood or a very foul smelling, black stool, you need to see your doctor. Also, if you start having difficulties with diarrhea or constipation, this could be a sign of cancer. It doesn’t have to be blood; it could also be mucous. Mucous can be suspected in your stool if you begin to pass loose FROTHY stools. One sign of cancer that might be overlooked is a general feeling of tiredness, cramping in your stomach that isn’t relieved, and weight loss. If you see a little blood on the toilet paper after wiping, it might be caused by hemorrhoids rather than a sign of cancer.

Stomach cancer claims a little over 4 out of 100,000 people’s lives. A lot of the signs of cancer for the stomach are the same as the signs of cancer for the colon. These include blood in your stool and difficulty with diarrhea or constipation. The blood in the stool for stomach cancer would be a little different given the location of the bleed. If the blood is high in the digestive tract, the blood will appear black and have a very foul odor.

Now let’s talk about the girls. Ovarian cancer claims almost 13 out of 100,000 lives every year. Signs of cancer for the ovaries are similar but include frequency or urgency to urinate without the presence of infection, unexplained bowel changes and gastrointestinal upset such as gas. Another type of cancer that shares some of the signs of cancer as above is endometrial cancer. Painful or difficult urination is on the signs of cancer for the endometrium.

As we continue to explore the signs of cancer, you will notice that I will go into detail about the same types of cancers. The reason for this is so we can stay on task with the acronym that I taught you in the about page. Signs of cancer aren’t always what you think. Even if you have one or several signs of cancer that we discuss on this site, it might be nothing! Even if you are diagnosed with a tumor, it might be benign and non-life threatening.

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