Early detection of cancer is crucial. Cancer is life-changing, but catching it ahead of time (either before you have it or in its early stages) will make a big difference when it comes to getting treatment. This is a life or death situation.
Doctors know how to detect cancer early, but you have to go to your regular appointments so they can help you. If you know that you have a family history of cancer, it’s even more important that you seek out early detection.
Keep reading to learn all about the basics of detecting cancer early.
Can Early Detection of Cancer Help?
Cancer is a debilitating and sometimes fatal condition. When caught early, though, the prognosis is much better.
Cancer is measured in stages. Stage 4 cancer is considered by doctors to be an “end-stage” cancer, meaning that there’s no longer anything that they can do to fix it.
If you catch cancer early, though, you can take preventative measures to manage it or get rid of it entirely (depending on the situation). Some cancers can be removed with surgery before they cause more damage.
Too many people don’t know that they have cancer until it’s too late. Many warning signs of cancer are easy to overlook, or they seem like symptoms of something else entirely.
What Kind of Cancers Can You Detect Early?
Some cancers are more easily detectable than others. Breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, testicular cancer, and colon cancer all have signs that can pop up with regular testing. If a doctor suspects that cancer is present, they can ask for follow-up tests.
You should do some of your own work when it comes to early cancer detection. While you don’t have the technology to do everything on your own, you can do things like feeling your breast tissue for lumps, looking at suspicious moles, and noticing differences in how your wounds heal.
If you notice that something is wrong, don’t jump to conclusions. Talk to a doctor about cancer screening.
How do Doctors Detect Signs of Cancer?
Often, doctors can spot signs of cancer while they’re still in a pre-cancerous stage. This means that there’s no cancer yet, but it’s likely that there will be soon.
After a certain age, most doctors will suggest that their patients do some type of cancer screening. People with breasts get mammograms for early detection of breast cancer, people with prostates get prostate exams for early detection of prostate cancer, and so on.
If you’re someone with a vagina, your doctor will do a pap smear every few years. These start early. Read more now if you’ve never gotten one in the past.
Sometimes signs of cancer can appear during routine checkups or blood draws. This is one of the reasons that it’s so important for you to go to a yearly doctor’s appointment if you have the ability to do so.
See Your Doctor for Cancer Detection Today
Even if you feel as though you’re in good health, there could be cancer lurking somewhere in your body. Make sure that you visit a doctor soon if you haven’t seen one in a while. Ask about early detection of cancer so they can screen you and make sure that you’re safe.
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