Search results
People also ask
Does finding cancer early increase your chances of beating it?
Can you catch cancer from someone else?
Can cancer be found early?
Why is early detection of cancer important?
A mass or tumor pushing on other areas of your body. The chemicals a cancer releases. Metastasis, or spreading from where a cancer started. If you’re experiencing pain that doesn’t go away — and you’re not sure where it came from — your doctor can help with the best next steps. Skin Changes.
Cancer is NOT contagious. You cannot “catch” cancer from someone else. Close contact or things like sex, kissing, touching, sharing meals, or breathing the same air cannot spread cancer. Cancer cells from someone with cancer are not able to live in the body of another healthy person.
- Overview
- Types of cancers that are more likely to go undetected
- Early and later stage symptoms of asymptomatic cancers
- Signs vs. symptoms of cancer
- When to see a doctor
- Why it’s important to catch cancer early
- Takeaway
With some types of cancer, you may not experience symptoms in the early stages. Certain exams may help doctors detect many types of cancer before they spread.
When you read about cancer or hear that a friend or loved one has received a cancer diagnosis, it’s natural to be full of questions.
Could you have a cancerous tumor somewhere? How long can you have cancer without knowing about it? Should you be screened?
It’s true that some cancers are diagnosed only after symptoms develop. And this may be after the disease has spread or a tumor has grown large enough to be felt or seen in imaging tests.
But many types of cancers can be diagnosed early, before symptoms form. You have the best chance at survival and a healthy quality of life if your cancer is diagnosed and treated in its early stages.
This article will explore which types of cancers are more likely to go undetected, and how to increase your chances of catching potential cancers early.
Some cancers are more easily detected than others. For example, certain types of skin cancer can be diagnosed initially just by visual inspection — though a biopsy is necessary to confirm the diagnosis.
But other cancers can form and grow undetected for 10 years or more, as one study found, making diagnosis and treatment that much more difficult.
This table shows early and later stage symptoms for asymptomatic types of cancers:
Signs and symptoms of disease can be two different things:
•A sign is something that can be observed by another person, such as a change in skin color or wheezing.
•A symptom is something you feel, such as fatigue or pain, that isn’t obvious to others.
The nature of cancer signs and symptoms differ greatly, depending on where the cancer is located.
Screenings for certain cancers should be part of your normal preventive healthcare. These include cancers of the:
•prostate
•breast
•colon and rectum
•cervix
•skin
For some cancers that are screened for on a regular basis, survival rates tend to be high. That’s because they’re often diagnosed early on, before symptoms develop.
The 5-year survival rate for people with localized breast or prostate cancer is nearly 100 percent. (Localized means it hasn’t spread outside the original tissue or organ.) And when diagnosed early, melanoma has about a 99 percent 5-year survival rate.
But catching some cancers early is difficult. There are no regular screening guidelines for some cancers, and symptoms may not show up until the cancer is in its advanced stages.
To help protect yourself from these cancers:
•Be sure to keep up with your regular blood work and annual physicals.
•Report any new symptoms to your doctor, even if they seem minor.
If you’re wondering how long you can have cancer without knowing it, there’s no straight answer. Some cancers can be present for months or years before they’re detected.
Some commonly undetected cancers are slow-growing conditions, which gives doctors a better chance at successful treatment. Others are more aggressive and can be more challenging to treat.
To increase your chances of catching potential cancers early, keep up with your recommended cancer screening schedule, and report any signs or symptoms of concern as soon as you can to your doctor.
The earlier you catch cancer and begin treatment, the better your odds of a favorable outcome.
Regular screening increases the chances of detecting certain cancers early, before cancer has a chance to spread. Learn what screening tests the American Cancer Society recommends, when you should have them, and how they are covered under some types of insurance.
MAKE A CRUCIAL CATCH. There’s no sure way to prevent cancer, but you can go on the offense with regular screening and lifestyle changes to help reduce your risk. Take the quiz to learn more about what screening tests and lifestyle choices are right for you. Take the Quiz.
Aug 21, 2020 · June 9, 2022. More and more people are enjoying long, full lives after cancer. Advances in treatment options and increased screenings are helping to boost survival rates for many types of cancer. Finding cancer early increases your chances of beating it. For example, breast cancer has a 99% five-year survival rate when found before it spreads.
Spotting cancer at an early stage saves lives, so it is important to tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice anything that isn’t normal for you. You can find out about common signs and symptoms of cancer on our webpage. In the UK, national screening programmes can help diagnose cancers at an early stage.
