Top 5 Ways Cancer is Detected

Cancer is everywhere and sooner or later you should know how to detect it early.

Your reasoning could stem from curiousity or a friend, family member, or you yourself have it. If that’s the case I’m truly sorry. No matter what your reasoning, knowing how to detect cancer early is important.

Not every cancer means the end of life. There are a lot of survivors including myself, sister, and friends who have survived different types of cancer, but it’s not a fun journey.

A person can come out of incredible odds to beat cancer. Miracles happen where cancer has disappeared, or families have come together in prayer. Outside of miracles, early detection is crucial for some stories to have a happy ending. Mine was this way. My husband knew the signs so I was able to go in and have a melanoma removed before it became fatal.

Since that time I have been a huge advocate of early detection and health in general.

Is Cancer Common?

About one-third of all people in the US will develop cancer during their lifetime. 

Some of the major cancer risk factors that can be controlled:
-Tobacco use
-Diet
-Physical activity
-Weight
-Alcohol use
-Sun exposure
-Environmental exposures, such as radon, lead, and asbestos
-Exposure to infections such as hepatitis, HPV, and HIV

Overall, about 1 out of 5 cancers diagnosed in the US are related to excess body weight, physical inactivity, excess use of alcohol, and/or poor nutrition, and could be prevented.

American Cancer Society

So with that, let’s get into some of the early detection signs of cancer.

#1 Dogs

Dogs, as we know, are a man’s best friend. They help the blind, soldiers suffering from PTSD, they’re a great companion, and now new studies show how they can help with early detection of cancer.

From some of the early studies, it seems clear that dogs can detect cancers through scents present on an individual’s skin, breath, urine, feces, sweat or blood.

It is also evident that dogs can detect a wide variety of different types of cancers rather than just one or two and that these can be detected even in the earliest stages.
Studies have shown that dogs can detect lung cancer from an individual’s breath, ovarian cancer from a blood sample and prostate cancer from a urine sample.

A study that was conducted in which the dog was trained only to alert for breast cancer resulted in the dog also alerting for lung cancer and this proved an interesting find as it suggests there may be common scents present across a number of different types of cancer.

https://yourdogadvisor.com/can-dogs-detect-cancer/

#2 Cancer Screening Tests

These tests can detect cancer before there are any signs or symptoms. If you have a family history of cancer and are worried about carrying on the family tree then this would be a good option for you.

When cancer is found early it is obviously easier to treat. These regular screenings find cancers such as cervix, colon, mouth, breast, skin, and rectum. A person’s survival rate tends to be longer with early detection so talk to a health care professional if you feel this the right choice for you.

#3 Know Your Body

This is probably the most important thing a person can do for early detection. Knowing your body will allow you to notice a suspicious mole, question your change in appetite, or read other signs, and symptoms that your body is telling you such as urine flow and bowel movements.

Keeping a health journal is not only a great choice for everyday living but it also allows you to see if something has changed and also if the change is consistent.

Remember, lifestyle changes and choices make a proven difference in catching and preventing cancer. 

#4 Blood Tests

Complete blood count (CBC). This common blood test measures the amount of various types of blood cells in a sample of your blood. Blood cancers may be detected using this test if too many or too few of a type of blood cell or abnormal cells are found. A bone marrow biopsy may help confirm a diagnosis of a blood cancer.

Mayo Clinic

Other blood tests that are used: Blood protein testing, Tumor marker tests, and Circulating tumor cell tests.

#5 Know Your Family History

Family history is much more than a trip down memory lane. Your genes play a major role in many types of cancer. If cancer runs in your family, genetic counseling and, often, earlier screening can make a major difference in detection and prevention.

Cleveland Clinic

Many cancers can be cured, but not all of them and not always.

Early prevention is one way of preparing yourself for signs and symptoms of cancer. There’s no need to be paranoid. Just help yourself by being informed and do what you can to have a happy and fulfilled life.

Wishing you all an incredible day- Heather Earles