A common yet concerning tendency is to ignore a persistent health symptom, or dismiss it as a ‘minor’ issue. This can range from a cough that lingers, to fatigue that does not improve with consistent rest. Most of these symptoms, however, are often brushed away as being due to stress, infection or lifestyle-related issues. But persistent symptoms, even if they seem minor, should not be ignored and months should not be allowed to lapse before medical attention is sought.

The risks of delay

Duration of symptoms may be a red flag in many cancers, especially during the early stages, as, often, cancers do not have clear or obvious signs; they may be subtle. For example, a chronic cough can be initially associated with allergies or a lingering lung infection. But it is essential to understand that if this persists for over 2-3 weeks, in an individual with the additional risk factor of smoking as well as other external exposures, it may warrant further evaluation such as lung cancer, among other conditions.

Similarly, fatigue is commonly normalised in our current fast-paced life. Patients are often seen to report feeling constantly tired, but this is seen as being due to work pressure, sleep deprivation or even nutritional deficiencies. These are valid causes, of course. Cancer-related fatigue is persistent in nature and is not relieved even when the individual takes plenty of rest, and it is seen to progressively worsen with time. Blood cancers such as leukaemia or lymphoma, and tumours can be associated with this type of fatigue, due to underlying metabolic changes, anaemia as well as systematic inflammation.

Another subtle symptom is unexplained weight loss: this is often overlooked since losing more than 5-10% of body weight due to intentional dieting and physical activity is seen to be significant. But weight loss can be associated with pancreatic cancer or even other malignancies throughout the body. Patients are seen to lose large amounts of body weight due to their metabolism changing due to tumour-driver activity that leads to muscle wasting and loss of appetite.

The clustering of symptoms are another important factor to keep in mind: consistent coughs that are accompanied by weight loss as well as fatigue, for instance. This is far more concerning that just having one symptom, since it may serve as an additional warning sign. Blood seen in sputum, aches and pains that become increasingly persistent, changes in bladder or bowel habits and unexplained lumps should be prompt an individual to seek immediate medical attention.

Early detection

The challenges with early detection lie in determining whether the symptoms seen are specific to cancer or not, since they tend to overlap a lot with wide range of benign conditions. This is why awareness is crucial: not to create any sort of unnecessary fear, but to help individuals to be prompted to have timely medical consultations.

Screening and early intervention through early diagnosis play a vital role. Individuals with high risk profiles such as chain smokers, individuals with a family history of cancer, and those with exposure to carcinogens should be extra careful since they are more likely to be in the risk zone. However, even without obvious risk factors, stubborn changes seen in out body must not be ignored or dismissed.

Pay attention to persistence

Patients are often seen presenting in advanced stages, not because the disease starts out aggressively, but because the early signs are overlooked. It is, therefore, significant to understand that persistence matters: if a symptom lasts more than a few weeks, accompanied by other unusual signs, it deserves attention. It is important to listen to our bodies since early action can make all the difference.

(Dr. Karthik Subramaniam is a radiation oncologist at VS Hospitals, Chennai. karthiksubbu.14@gmail.com)