The symptoms most commonly associated with a cancer diagnosis reflect the incidence of the world’s most prevalent cancers.
Examples include feeling a lump in the breast, pain in the urinary tract, changes in bowel habits, and chronic cough. Symptoms that may indicate breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon or rectal cancer, or lung cancer, respectively.
However, there are also lesser-known symptoms that may indicate cancer. Because it is rare and uncommon, it does not necessarily constitute this disease. So if you experience any of these symptoms, it’s ideal to see your doctor to find out if it’s something to worry about.
Lymph node pain after drinking alcohol
After drinking alcohol, many people experience pain or irritation in their lower chest or abdomen. This occurs due to inflammation in these areas.
Many years ago, I cared for a patient who said her chest hurt for a day or two after drinking a glass of wine. A CT scan of his chest revealed a large mass in his lung, and a biopsy diagnosed Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
It’s common for people to experience stomach pain and irritability after drinking alcohol. This discomfort can often be resolved with medications such as antacids. However, pain in separate areas of the body can be a sign of this cancer.
In one study, this phenomenon was seen in at least 5% of people diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. The pain is thought to be due to the dilation of blood vessels in the lymph nodes, or the release of inflammatory chemicals, caused by drinking alcohol.
Lymph nodes are located throughout the body, mainly concentrated just under the skin on the neck, under the armpits, and in the groin area.
In my life, I have broken bones several times by falling off my bike at high speed.
Although bone density and strength can decline with age, and approximately 2 million osteoporosis-related fractures occur annually in the United States, inappropriately induced fractures are rare, especially in young adults. These types of fractures can sometimes indicate cancer.
When cancer starts in or spreads to bones, the bones become weaker and can cause pathological fractures. Approximately 5% of cancers involve bone. Approximately 8% of people with this condition will develop a pathological fracture.
This type of fracture is 500 times more likely to result from cancer spreading to the bone than from cancer starting in the bone itself.
Cancers that involve bones can be identified using X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or bone scans.
very high calcium levels
Several conditions can cause this condition, including abnormalities of the parathyroid glands, hyperthyroidism, and even taking certain medications. However, a study of more than 50,000 primary care workers found that people with high calcium levels were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with cancer in the next year compared to those with normal levels.
According to this study, higher calcium levels also increase the risk of diagnosis.
People with high calcium levels due to cancer often exhibit symptoms such as kidney stones and skeletal pain, nausea and constipation, and behavioral problems such as mood changes and changes in cognitive function.
The most common cancers that cause high calcium levels include lung, breast, kidney, bladder, ovarian, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. This can occur by secreting hormones or by breaking down bones and releasing calcium into the bloodstream.
Breast pain, swelling, or nipple discharge
A benign disease called mastitis can cause breast pain, swelling, and itching, and is common in people who are breastfeeding. This is a painful inflammatory process that may require medical attention, but it is not cancer.
However, if you experience these symptoms even if you’re not breastfeeding, they could be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer, which accounts for 2 to 4 percent of cases in the United States.
Onset can be rapid and is typified by changes in the skin on the chest called orange podes, which resemble the slightly bumpy surface of an orange peel. In such cases, please consult your doctor. If treatments such as cold compresses, nonsteroidal drugs, and antibiotics (which often treat mastitis) are ineffective, a breast biopsy may be necessary.
Most nipple discharge is also benign, and only 2 to 15 percent of people who undergo surgery for this condition are diagnosed with underlying breast cancer.
Discharge is most likely caused by cancer, but if it occurs in only one breast, it is intermittent and lasts for a long time.
Remember, we all worry about new pain or abnormal blood tests. Generally, such symptoms indicate a relatively harmless diagnosis, but in such cases it is helpful to contact your doctor to rule out something more dangerous.
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