CANCER will affect everyone at some point.
Whether you’re diagnosed with the illness yourself or have a loved one or friend who is battling the disease, one in two of us will get it, Cancer Research UK states.
Getty – ContributorOne expert warned that silent cancers are often detected when you are being checked for something else[/caption]
It’s always key to see your GP if you start to experience strange symptoms, but some cancers don’t have signs that are easy to spot.
These are dubbed as ‘silent killers’, with symptoms often overlapping with other illnesses, with many people experiencing tiredness or aches and pains.
Dr Ahmed El-Modir, consultant oncologist at Spire Little Aston Hospital, said that this means silent cancers are often only caught at an advanced stage or incidentally.
For example, they might be detected when you’re having investigations for another unrelated condition.
Here, Dr El-Modir goes through the seven cancers that are most likely to go undetected and what you need to look out for.
1. Bowel cancer
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and the second biggest killer, Bowel Cancer UK states.
Nearly 43,000 people are diagnosed with the illness every year in the UK and more than nine out of 10 new cases are found in people over the age of 50.
Dr El-Modir said that bowel cancer refers to cancer of the large intestines (large bowel), which include your colon and rectum and depending on where it starts, it’s also known as colon cancer or rectal cancer.
“Common symptoms include persistent abdominal pain, bloating, cramps and changes in your bowel habits (eg constipation, diarrhoea or thinner stools).
“You may also notice blood in your stools, have the urge to open your bowels even after recently passing stools, and unintentionally lose weight,” he said.
Who’s at risk?
The oncologist said that your age is the biggest risk factor, increasing as you age.
You’re also at risk if you have a family member who developed the illness before the age of 50 and if you smoke, drink heavily and have a sedentary lifestyle.
Researchers previously found a link between sugar-sweetened drinks and bowel cancer.
It found adults, especially women, supping on two or more to quench their thirst each day are “doubling” the risk of bowel cancer before the age of 50.
Soft drinks, fruit flavoured drinks and sports and energy drinks all pose a significant threat, the study found.
2. Cervical cancer
According to Cancer Research UK, there are around 850 cervical cancer deaths in the UK every year.
Dr El-Modir said in order to detect it, all women over the age of 25 are offered regular cervical screening to test for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection – which is one of the main causes.
“Common symptoms include vaginal bleeding in between your periods, during or after sex and after menopause, heavier periods, changes to your vaginal discharge, pain during sex and pain in your lower back, lower abdomen and pelvic area,” he said.
Who’s at risk?
Cervical cancer is more common in those aged under 45 and those with a weakened immune system, Dr El-Modir said.
Your risk of cervical cancer is also higher if you’ve given birth to children before age 17, had multiple births, have not been vaccinated against HPV or previously had bladder, kidney, vaginal or vulval cancer, he added.
3. Liver cancer
Liver cancer can affect any part of your liver, which is located above your stomach on the right side of your body, the expert explained.
Around 5,700 people are diagnosed with the condition each year in the UK, Macmillan Cancer Support states.
Many symptoms of liver cancer relate to digestion issues such as nausea, vomiting, paler stools, darker urine and feeling full after eating only a small amount of food.
“You may notice a lump on the top right side of your abdomen, feel pain in this area, and experience abdominal swelling that isn’t caused by eating,” Dr El-Modir said.
Other symptoms include jaundice, where the whites of your eyes become yellow, pain in your right shoulder, unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, fever and feeling unwell, he added.
Who’s at risk?
Dr El-Modir said your risk of liver cancer is higher if you are male, have a close relative (sibling or parent) who had it, or are aged over 60.
Your risk is also raised if you have diabetes, gallstones, hepatitis, HIV, liver cirrhosis or are infected with liver flukes, he said.
4. Lung cancer
Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in the UK, with over 35,000 deaths each year, The UK Lung Cancer Coalition states.
Dr El-Modir said that symptoms include a persistent cough, breathlessness when performing activities that usually aren’t a strain, coughing up blood, fatigue, loss of appetite, pain in your chest or shoulders, repeated or persistent chest infections, and unintentional weight loss.
Who’s at risk?
The expert said that seven out of 10 cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking.
“Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is more common among smokers, is also a major risk factor.
“Other risk factors for lung cancer include frequently breathing in diesel fumes and other toxic chemicals, such as arsenic, asbestos, coal fumes and silica.
“Exposure to high levels of radon gas, which is found in nature but can become concentrated in buildings, also increases your risk of developing lung cancer,” he added.
5. Ovarian cancer
There are around 4,100 ovarian cancer deaths in the UK every year, Cancer Research UK states.
Ovarian cancer refers to cancer of the egg-producing organs in women (ovaries) and many symptoms overlap with those felt during a period.
Dr El-Modir said these include bloating, back pain, fatigue and persistent pain or tenderness in your pelvic area.
“Other symptoms include constipation, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, feeling full after eating only a small amount, unintentional weight loss, sudden urges to urinate and urinating more often,” he added.
Who’s at risk?
Women aged over 45 are most at risk, as well as women with diabetes or endometriosis, women carrying faulty BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and those with a close female relative (mother or sister) who had ovarian cancer, Dr El-Modir said.
Smoking and being overweight also increases your risk as does taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopause, he added.
6. Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer can affect any part of your pancreas, which sits behind your stomach where your ribs meet at the bottom of your breastbone, the expert said.
It’s the 10th most common cancer, with over 10,000 people being diagnosed each year, Pancreatic Cancer UK states.
Many symptoms of pancreatic cancer relate to digestion, such as bloating, changes in your stools, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting, Dr El-Modir states.
He explained: “You may also experience back pain and pain in your upper abdomen, which feel better when you lean forward and worse when you lie down or eat.
“Other symptoms include jaundice, where the whites of your eyes become yellow, unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, fever and fatigue,” he said.
Who’s at risk?
Your risk of pancreatic cancer is higher if you smoke, drink heavily, are overweight or aged over 75, Dr El-Modir said.
“Although most cases of pancreatic cancer do not run in families, you are at increased risk if a close relative (parent or sibling) had pancreatic cancer or if you carry a faulty BRCA2 gene.
“Certain medical conditions also increase your risk, including chronic (long-term) pancreatitis, diabetes, gallstones and metabolic syndrome,” he added.
7. Prostate cancer
In England about one in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime, Prostate Cancer UK states.
Prostate cancer refers to cancer of the prostate gland in men, which is a walnut-sized gland that makes the fluid part of semen, Dr El-Modir said.
It is located at the base of the bladder and surrounds the tube through which urine leaves your body (urethra).
He explained that symptoms of prostate cancer usually only occur once the tumour is large enough to press against the urethra.
“Symptoms include difficulty urinating, needing to urinate more often and the sensation that your bladder is not completely empty even after urinating,” he said.
Who’s at risk?
Your risk of prostate cancer increases with age and consequently, is more common in men aged over 50, with most cases occurring in men aged 75–79, Dr El-Modir said.
He explained that you are also at greater risk if you are overweight or obese, or have a close relative (father or brother) who had prostate cancer.
“Men of Afro-Caribbean descent have a higher risk than Caucasian men, while men of Asian descent have a lower risk than Caucasian men,” he added.