UK's most common cancer symptoms including one that 'doesn't get better with rest'
UK's most common cancer symptoms including one that 'doesn't get better with rest'
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A woman diagnosed with the UK's most prevalent cancer confessed she overlooked four warning signs before her life-changing diagnosis. As today marks World Cancer Day, many of us are taking a closer look at our health. In the UK, someone is diagnosed with cancer every 90 seconds on average. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer, as it accounts for roughly 15% of new cases in women between 2017 and 2019.
Men are not immune from the disease, as they make up about 1% of cases. Kristi, who regularly shares updates about her breast cancer journey on TikTok, admitted she didn't pay much attention to her symptoms until her diagnosis. She cautioned her followers: "If you have these symptoms, too, it does NOT mean that you also have breast cancer," but urged them to consult their doctor and "But please talk to your physician and ADVOCATE for yourself!!!!".
One symptom Kristi noticed was severe fatigue. Johns Hopkins Medicine notes that "extreme fatigue that doesn't get better with rest" can be an early indicator of not just breast cancer, but many types of cancer. "Cancer uses your body's nutrients to grow and advance, so those nutrients are no longer replenishing your body. This 'nutrient theft' can make you feel extremely tired," the medical institution explained.
Stamford Health has highlighted that weight loss linked to cancer can be due to various factors, reports Surrey Live : "Depending on the type of cancer and the organs affected, individuals may experience nausea or a lack of appetite, or have difficulty chewing or swallowing, which causes their food intake to drop," Stamford Health explained. Preliminary research has hinted at sugar cravings as a potential early indicator of cancer. The National Institute of Health (NIH) also noted: "There is evidence of an association between cancer and certain types of altered eating behaviours, including orthorexia, food cravings, and food addiction.".
Most commonly seen in patients with blood cancer, this symptom precedes nearly a quarter of leukaemia diagnoses. When cancer reaches stage 4, as in Kristi's case, it signifies that the disease has metastasised to other body parts. Kristi also reported enduring back pain that progressively worsened. Breast cancer that has metastasised to the bones can result in pain or discomfort in areas like the hip or back.
