Cancer warning signs

The goals of cancer treatment are to:

• Cure the cancer by killing or removing all cancer cells
• Prevent or delay the cancer from coming back
• Treat cancer symptoms (if the cancer cannot be cured)

The types of treatment depend on the type of cancer, but may include:

• Chemotherapy
• Radiation
• Surgery

You may receive more than one type of treatment. This is called combined therapy.

Cancer warning signs include:

• A change in bowel or bladder habits
• A sore that does not heal
• Unusual bleeding or drainage
• Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere
• Indigestion or swallowing difficulty
• A change in a wart or mole
• Persistent cough or hoarseness

It is important to note that these symptoms may also be due to conditions other than cancer.

The following articles offer more detailed information:

• Breast cancer
• Brain cancer - adults
• Brain cancer - children
• Cancer - general overview
• Cervical cancer
• Colon cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Kidney cancer
• Leukemia
• Liver cancer
• Lung cancer
• Lymphoma
• Oral cancer (includes mouth cancer)
• Ovarian cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Penis cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Skin cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Uterine cancer (endometrial cancer)
• Vaginal cancer
• Vulvar cancer

For information on cancer-related organizations, see Cancer - support groups.

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Cancer treatment information Prevention

Review Date: 11/14/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)