HEALTH TALK: Cancer symptoms men ignore
Dr. Victor Emanuel, MD - Wednesday, September 12th, 2012 at 11:30 AM
Dr. Victor Emanuel MD
Many men are notorious foot-draggers, especially when it comes to scheduling doctor visits. This is unfortunate.
Routine preventive care can find cancer in men and other disease in the early stages, when there are more treatment options and better chances for a cure. Some men would never go to the doctor except for the women in their life; women are often the ones who push men to get screened for cancer.
Men can benefit greatly by being alert to certain cancer symptoms that indicate a trip to the doctor’s office sooner rather than later. Some of these cancer symptoms in men are specific. They involve certain body parts and may even point directly to the possibility of cancer.
Other symptoms are more vague. For example, pain that affects many body parts could have dozens of explanations and may not be cancer. But that doesn’t mean you can rule out cancer without seeing a doctor.
CANCER SYMPTOM IN MEN NO 1: BREAST MASS
Most men have never considered the possibility of having breast cancer. It’s not common, but it is possible. Any new mass in the breast area of a man needs to be checked out by a physician.
In addition, several other worrisome signs involving the breast that men, as well as women, should take note of include;
• Skin dimpling or puckering
• Nipple retraction
• Redness or scaling of the nipple or breast skin
• Nipple discharge
When you see the doctor, he will take information and do an examination. Then, depending on the findings, a mammogram, biopsy or other test may be needed.
CANCER SYMPTOM IN MEN NO 2: FEVER
If you’ve got an unexplained fever, it may indicate cancer. It could also be a sign of pneumonia or some other illness that needs treatment.
Most cancers will cause fever at some point. Often, fever occurs after the cancer has spread from its original site and invaded another body part. But it can also be caused by blood cancers such as lymphoma or leukemia. It’s best not to ignore a fever that can’t be explained. Check with your doctor to find out what might be causing it and if anything needs to be done.
CANCER SYMPTOM IN MEN NO 3: WEIGHT LOSS WITHOUT TRYING
Unexpected weight loss is a concern. Most of us don’t lose weight easily. You may be expected to lose some weight from a stepped up exercise program or eating less because of a busy schedule. If a man loses more than 10% of his body weight in a short period of time such as a matter of weeks, it’s time for a doctor visit.
Doc will do a general examination, ask questions about diet and exercise and about the symptoms. Based on that information, doctor will decide what other tests are needed.
CANCER SYMPTOM IN MEN NO 4: FATIGUE
Fatigue is a vague symptom that could point to cancer in men. But a number of other problems could cause it as well. Like fever, fatigue can set in after the cancer has grown. But it may also happen early in cancers such as leukemia or with some colon or stomach cancers.
If you often feel extremely tired and it doesn’t get better with rest, check with the doc. He or she will evaluate it along with any other symptoms in order to determine what’s causing it and what can be done.
CANCER SYMPTOM IN MEN NO 5: PERSISTENT COUGH
Coughs are expected, of course, with colds, the flu, and allergies. They are also sometimes a side effect of a medication. But a very prolonged cough, lasting more than three or four weeks, should not be ignored. That kind of cough warrants a doctor visit. It could be a symptom of cancer, or it could indicate some other problem such as chronic bronchitis or acid reflux.
Of course, doc will question you, examine your throat, check your lungs, and especially if you are a smoker, maybe order X-rays. Once the reason for the cough is found, you and doctor will work out a treatment plan.
CANCER SYMPTOM IN MEN NO 6: INDIGESTION
Many men, especially as they get older think “heart attack” when they get bad indigestion, even if they’ve just eaten and drunk their way through a day’s viewing of cricket when the Windies are winning. But persistent indigestion could point to cancer in the esophagus, throat, or stomach and should be reported to your doctor. Doctor will do the usual, decide what tests are necessary and treat according to the results.
CANCER SYMPTOM IN MEN NO 7: BLOOD WHERE IT SHOULDN’T BE
Whenever you see blood coming from a body part where you’ve never seen it before, see a doctor. If you start coughing or spitting up blood, have blood in the bowel, or blood in the urine, it’s time for a doctor visit.
It’s a mistake to assume blood in the stool is simply from a hemorrhoid. It could be colon cancer!
Doc will ask you questions about your symptoms. He or she may also order tests such as a colonoscopy to see up into your bowels, to identify any signs of cancer or pre-cancer or to identify what else might be causing the bleeding.
See you next week.
People of the north, Dr. Victor Emanuel will be in Portsmouth on Fridays from 8 am to 3 pm at Bayside Medical Center across from the police station.
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10 Comments
Cow’s milk is very nourishing to the human body. At night, if you take a cup of cow’s milk, you may sleep better if you have sleeping problems. You just have to boil it first. if you are lactose intolerant, then just grate a little ginger in it and boil it. It also provides you with much needed calcium.
A good citizen doesn’t generally mean that you have to come from the sky. Dr. Mano didn’t come from the sky. What makes him good is his integrity, generosity and his interest in the well being of his fellow citizens. He knows well that his blessings is not controlled by men but by God. Thank you Doc for these pieces of valuable information. God bless you!
Dr Emmanuel needs to be commended for these information packed articles. They are very easy to understand and very timely.
this doctor is a real great dominican and more persons in other proffessional fields need to come out and educate the less fortunate in what ever field.
O LORD!thank you for this sole professonal,whose interest is educating his people;Give him strength and goodhealth and guide him in his humble path of rightousness.AMEN;
thanks DOC.GOD Bless you.
Anonymous keep drinking your cow milk, as you age your body need calcium to avoid osteoporosis keeping your bones healthy. I suggest boiling it before drinking since its unpasteurized. But it’s all good
milk is for young growing children.look at the trend in the cows life . when it is whind fron the mother the never go back on milk. drin a glass of fruit juice
Doc. what is ur say on some one taking cow’s milk. As for me, I would have a bottle of fresh cow’s milk drop at my home every week, my wife would say to me, stop using that milk. I would like to know what’s ur say on that
Thanks for sharing such good info
Thank you Doc, this is invaluable information. May God continue to bless you and keep you around so you can take care of our people.
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