Eight signs that ‘must be checked for cancer’

A research team from Keele University suggest eight key signs of cancer According to researchers, identifying these symptoms should improve the number of early diagnoses, when people have the best chance of responding to treatment.

The signs are:

<> Bleeding from the rectum (indicative of colon cancer in older age groups).
<> Iron deficiency anaemia (indicative of colon cancer).
<> A rectal examination which suggests cancer may be present (possible prostate cancer). <> Blood in the urine (indicative of cancers related to urology).
<> Coughing up blood (potential lung cancer).
<> Difficulties with swallowing (indicative of oesophageal cancer).

The symptoms predict the risk of cancer with such accuracy in certain age groups that patients should be referred to a specialist straight away unless there is a plausible explanation.

The research was published in the ‘British Journal of General Practice’.