Everyday Health – Here are 13 symptoms that are worth discussing with a doctor, as they could sometimes be warning signs of cancer.
1. Unexplained Weight Loss
You expect to lose weight when you cut calories or exercise more than usual. But a rapid, significant drop in weight — especially a loss of 10 pounds or more — without an obvious cause can signal a problem.
Weight loss is often one of the first warning signs of cancer, especially cancers of the lungs, stomach, pancreas, and esophagus. One reason is that cancer cells burn more calories than healthy cells. Also, as the immune system fights cancer, it releases inflammatory chemicals that disrupt normal metabolism and appetite.
2. Persistent Headache
Millions of Americans regularly get migraines and headaches.[2] While a severe headache might feel scary, it rarely suggests something serious, unless it comes with symptoms like seizures, nausea and vomiting, weakness, or numbness — or it happens frequently and doesn’t go away.
How long the headache lasts is also an important factor. “A day or two is fine, but a week, two weeks, three weeks of persistent headaches — that’s not normal,” says Dr. Cohen.
3. Vision Changes
Blurriness, double vision, or vision loss usually stem from a problem with the eye. It may be that your glasses prescription has changed or you’ve developed a condition like cataracts.
Rarely, tumors can develop in or around the eye and affect vision. Although much less common, a brain tumor can affect vision when it puts pressure on the optic nerve or other areas of the brain that process sight.
See an ophthalmologist if you have symptoms like blurred or double vision, floaters, flashes, distorted vision, abnormal eye movements, sensitivity to light, or vision loss.
If you also have severe headaches, seizures, or weakness, seek medical attention urgently, as these symptoms can occur with a brain tumor.[5]
4. Frequent Belching
Heartburn and belching after a meal probably means that you’ve eaten too many spicy or fatty foods …
