Signs and symptoms of cancer

If something does not feel right in your body, then it is vital that you get it checked it out.

It can be scary when you notice something not quite right, but please do not put off making an appointment with your doctor. It may be nothing, but if it is cancer, the quicker it is picked up the more easily it can be treated.

The symptoms that you might notice could be ongoing symptoms, which last for more than three weeks; unexplained symptoms which have no reason, or symptoms that are unusual for you.

What kind of things should you be looking out for?

• The NHS has a useful guide to some of the signs and symptoms.
• Macmillan Cancer Support has information on how to recognise the symptoms of cancer and when you should see your GP.
• Cancer Research UK has details on some of the key signs and symptoms.
• This easy read booklet about signs and symptoms of cancer is useful.
• Signs and symptoms booklets are also available in many languages: Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Farsi, Guajarati, Hindi, Kurdish, Lithuanian, Nepali, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak, Somali, Tagalog, Tigrinya, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Urdu, Welsh, and Yoruba.

There is also information on the signs and symptoms of different types of cancer. But it is important to remember, that these are just a guide; if you are worried about a change in your body, please do get it checked out. It might be nothing.

• Macmillan Cancer Support – Worried about cancer? Cancer signs and symptoms
  Cancer Research UK – Your cancer type