BBC Pidgin of Friday, 8 September 2023

Source: BBC

10 cancer symptoms wey you fit no notice

Di chances of overcoming cancer dey very high if dem diagnose am early. Di chances of overcoming cancer dey very high if dem diagnose am early.

Wen most pipo hear di word cancer, dem dey associate am wit one dangerous disease wey get deadly outcome.

But since di 1970s, di rate of survival don increase well-well, sake of early diagnosis.

In fact, most cancers now dey treatable and dey result to favourable outcome for di patient wen dem diagnose early before di cancer worse.

Di problem na say many times, because we no wan disturb our doctor or we no reason say di issue dey important enough, we dey ignore some symptoms wey fit dey important for early diagnosis.

According to one study wey Cancer Research UK carry out, more dan half of British pipo don at some time suffer from one of di symptoms wey fit show di presence of cancer, but only 2% reason say dem fit get di disease and more dan one third ignore di symptoms completely and no go hospital.

Katriina Whitaker, one researcher for University College London and lead author of di research tok say, "Pipo tink say make we no dey encourage pipo to dey worry about dia health but we get problem wit pipo wey dey shame to go hospital because dem tink say na waste of time and waste of di health system resources.

"We need to send out information say if you notice any symptoms wey no dey go, reason dem as warning signs, no ignore dem, instead go see doctor and seek help," e tok.

BBC Mundo explain 10 general symptoms of cancer wey according to di American Cancer Society, you no suppose ignore.

Unexplained weight loss

Most pipo wit cancer go experience weight loss at some point.

Wen you lose weight for no obvious reason, dem dey call am unexplained weight loss.

Unexplained weight loss of 5 kg or more fit be di first sign of cancer.

Dis dey occur most often wit pancreatic, stomach, esophageal or lung cancer.

Fever

Fever dey very common for patients wey get cancer, although e dey occur mostly afta di cancer don spread from di area wia e start from.

Almost everyone wit cancer go experience fever at some point, especially if di cancer or im treatments dey affect di immune system.

Fever fit be early sign of cancer, for example for di case of leukemia or lymphoma.

Fatigue

Fatigue na extreme tiredness wey no dey go away even wen you rest.

E fit be important symptom as di cancer dey progress.

However, for some cancer cases likes leukaemia, pesin fit dey notice tiredness very early.

Some colon or stomach cancer dey cause loss of blood wey no dey obvious.

Dis na anoda way cancer fit cause fatigue.

Skin changes

Apart from skin cancers, e get some oda type of cancers wey fit make skin change.

Dis signs and symptoms include:

- Your skin go dey black if you fair (hyperpigmentation)
- Your skin go dey yellow if you be black and you go get jaundice
- Your skin go red (erythema)
- Itching (pruritus)
- Excessive - Plenti hair growth

Changes for bowel habit or bladder function

Changes go dey in di way di pesin dey go toilet and for di way im bladder take dey function.

Constipation, diarrhea, or a change in stool size over a long period of time fit be sign of colon cancer.

On di oda hand, painful urination, blood for pee or change for bladder function (like you dey too pee or no dey pee well) fit relate to bladder or prostate cancers.

Wounds no heal

Many pipo know say wen moles - growth for di skin - dey grow, dey pain or begin bleed, e fit be symptoms of skin cancer, but make we also dey on di lookout for small wounds wey refuse to heal afta more dan four weeks.

One wound for mouth wey no heal fit be sake of oral cancer.

Any change for mouth wey don stay for long suppose dey examined immediately by a physician or dentist.

Wounds on top penis or vagina fit be signs of infection or early stage cancer, and suppose dey examined by health care professional.

Bleeding

Unusual bleeding fit occur wit early or advanced cancer.

Coughing up blood fit be a sign of lung cancer.

On di oda hand, if blood show for poo (wey fit black well-well) fit be sign of colon cancer or rectal cancer.

Cervical cancer of di endometrium (lining of di uterus) fit cause abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Blood for urine fit be sign of bladder or kidney cancer.

Blood dey comot from nipple fit be sign of breast cancer.

Hardening or lump anywhere for di body

Dem dey feel many cancers through di skin.

Dis cancers dey occur mainly for di breasts, testicles, lymph nodes (glands), and soft tissues of di body.

Lump or hardening fit be early or late sign of cancer.

Difficulty in swallowing

Persistent indigestion or difficulty in swallowing fit be signs of cancer of di oesophagus (di swallowing tube wey lead to di stomach), stomach, or pharynx (throat).

However, like most of di symptoms wey dey dis list, e fit no be symptoms of cancer.

Persistent cough or hoarseness

Continuous cough fit be sign of lung cancer.

E dey advisable to visit doctor if we dey suffer from am if e don pass more dan three weeks.

Meanwhile, di hoarseness fit be sign of cancer of di larynx or thyroid gland.