SmartHealthToday: Face it, tough guy, there are signs of possible cancer even you shouldn’t ignore

By Dave Malaska
SmartHealthToday

Men have a notoriously bad reputation when it comes to going to the doctor. And, when it comes to cancer, positive outcomes often rely on catching it early. There are signs, though, that should serve as extra incentive for men to put the “tough guy” image aside and seek medical attention. Here are seven of the top signs of possible cancer that men should not ignore:

Problems with your plumbing
What happens at the urinal can often be the first sign of trouble for men. A need to pee more often, a frequent, urgent need to go or a weak stream can be an early signal of an enlarged prostate, a common problem men experience as they age. But it can also be a symptom of prostate cancer, the second-most common cancer for men. Over a lifetime, one man in seven will be diagnosed with it and one in 38 will die from it, making it sadly one of the leading causes of cancer death in men.

Blood in your urine is another red flag.
It can be one of the first signs of cancer in your bladder, kidneys or colon. Together, the three account for nearly 230,000 new cancer diagnoses each year in the U.S. Men are also about three to four times more likely than women to contract bladder cancer and are at a slightly higher risk for colon cancers.

Swallowing trouble
Problems swallowing, especially when accompanied by weight loss or vomiting, should send you to a doctor immediately. It could be a sign of throat-based laryngeal, hypo pharyngeal cancers or stomach cancer. Men are about four times as susceptible to throat cancers as women. Caught early, five-year survival rates for throat cancers are about 50 percent, depending on where it’s based. Unchecked, advanced cases have rates less than half that, making early detection incredibly important.

In the case of stomach cancers, men have a higher incidence rate than women again, making it a key warning sign for the guys.

Mouth sores or discoloration
Especially if you smoke or chew tobacco, mouth sores or red patches can be a signal of mouth cancer, another form of the disease more common in men than women (likely because more men smoke or chew than women).

Unexplained weight loss
Though not necessarily a red flag for cancer, the loss of 10 or more pounds without dietary changes or an increase in activity, could point to pancreatic cancer or cancers of the stomach or lungs. As many as 40 percent of people with cancer report unexplained weight loss, and four in five people with advanced cancer experience cachexia, which is a loss of both weight and muscle mass.

Lasting fever
Leukemia and other blood cancers are usually accompanied by fevers that last for more than a few days, so if you’ve suffered from elevated body temperatures for more than a couple of days, it’s time to book an appointment with your doctor.

Extended periods of fatigue
Several types of cancer manifest with a deep sense of fatigue that you can’t seem to beat no matter how much sleep you get. It feels different from the exhaustion you feel after exertion or stress. You will be able to tell the difference. Don’t merely hope another few days vegging on the couch or in bed will set you right. If you seem to be dealing with it often, or for more than a few days, see your doctor.

Acid burn
Sure, that case of heartburn could be stress-related. It could be acid reflux or ulcerative. But it could also be stomach or throat cancer. If changing your diet and over-the-counter heartburn medicines don’t seem to be working, make an appointment.

Sometimes, these signs may prove to be less serious conditions. But they’re not subtle.

If you notice them, take action. It’s best to be proactive when it comes to your health and well-being.

SmartHealthToday is a service of St. Elizabeth Healthcare.