10 Cancer symptoms women should not overlook

The key is to pay attention to your body so you can notice when something's different. "New symptoms indicate something has changed in your body, and you want to know what that means." A few of such important symptoms are:

1. Breast changes

Most breast lumps aren't cancer, but if any of the below mentioned changes appear, see a doctor

• Skin dimpling or puckering

• Nipples that turn inward

• Nipple discharge

• Redness or scaling of your nipple or breast skin

To look for the cause of your symptoms, your doctor will do a physical exam and ask you questions about your medical history.

2. Bloating

"It's OK to wait a week or two to see if it goes away."

If your symptoms don't get better with time, or if they happen with weight loss or bleeding, see a doctor. Constant bloating can sometimes mean ovarian cancer. You'll have a pelvic exam as well as blood tests, and sometimes an ultrasound, to look for the cause of the problem.

3. Between-Period Bleeding

If you’re still getting periods, tell your doctor if you’re spotting between them. Bleeding that’s not a part of your usual monthly cycle can have many causes, but your doctor will want to rule out endometrial cancer(cancer of the lining of your uterus).

Bleeding after menopause is never normal and should be checked right away.

4: Skin Changes

A change in the size, shape, or color of a mole or other spot is a common sign of skin cancer. See your doctor for a thorough exam and perhaps a biopsy. This is one time you don't want to wait.

5. Blood in Your Pee or Stool

Talk to your doctor if you're bleeding from a part of your body that normally doesn't, especially if the bleeding lasts more than a day or two. Bloody stool is often from hemorrhoids, but it can also be a symptom of colon cancer. Bloody urine is usually the first sign of cancer of the bladder or kidneys.

6. Changes in Lymph Nodes

Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped glands around the body. Most changes in them come from common infections. But some cancers, including leukemia and lymphoma, can also cause lymph nodes to swell.

7. Weight Loss Without Trying

Most women wish extra pounds would magically melt away. But losing 10 pounds or more without a change in your diet or exercise habits could signal a problem.

Most unintended weight loss is not cancer. It's often caused by stress or your thyroid, but it can be a sign of pancreatic cancer. Stomach and lung cancers are also possible.

8. Fatigue

A lot of women are tired because they lead hectic lives. But extreme tiredness that won’t go away isn’t normal.

Talk to your doctor if your fatigue never gets better or if you have other symptoms, like blood in your stool. Your doctor will ask for your complete medical history and give you blood tests.

9. Fever

A fever that doesn’t go away and can't be explained could mean leukemia or another blood cancer. Your doctor should get the details of your medical history and give you a physical exam to check for the cause.

10.Persistent Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain occurs in the lower back and often feels like a dull ache. Yet, some women describe it as feeling like labor pains. Lower back pain may be a symptom of ovarian cancer