Module 3: Cancer
What are the signs or symptoms of cancer?
Someone with cancer may have general symptoms such as weight loss, fever, fatigue (extreme tiredness), pain or changes in the skin or eyes. They may also have symptoms related to the type of cancer they have. Symptoms of cancer may include:
- Trouble with digestion or swallowing
- Change in bowel or bladder habits
- Sores that do not heal
- White spots in the mouth or on the tongue
- Unusual bleeding or discharge
- Thickening or lump in the breast or other parts of the body
- Changes in a wart, mole or the skin
- Ongoing cough or hoarse voice
Note: these symptoms may have other causes and may not be related to cancer. Learn more about signs and symptoms of cancer.
How is cancer diagnosed?
Cancer diagnosis depends on the type of cancer someone has. Cancer can be diagnosed with biopsies, blood tests, urine tests, colonoscopies or sigmoidoscopies, x-rays, ultrasounds, bone scans, CT scans, MRI's or surgery. Sometimes several methods are used.
Cancer staging is an important part of cancer diagnosis because it affects treatment decisions. A cancer's stage depends on the tumor's size, the number of tumors or whether it has spread to another part of the body. Learn more about cancer staging.
TNM Staging System
Most, but not all, types of cancer use the TNM Staging System. The TNM system is used to determine a cancer's stage. It is based on the size or amount of tumor (T), whether it has spread to the lymph nodes (N), and whether it has metastasized, or spread to other parts of the body (M). A number is added to each letter to indicate the size or extent of the primary tumor and the extent of cancer spread. For example, breast cancer that is T3 N2 M0 means there is a large tumor that has spread outside the breast to nearby lymph nodes but not to other parts of the body.
Stage |
Definition |
|---|---|
Stage 0 |
An early stage cancer that has not spread |
Stage I, Stage II and Stage III |
Tumor is larger and/or has spread to lymph nodes and/or other organs |
Stave IV |
Cancer has spread to another organ |
Source: Cancer Staging, the National Cancer Institute