New figures show more patients are diagnosed with cancer during a trip to A&E in the UK than in other comparable countries.
People who end up in A&E are less likely to survive the disease, particularly if they have stomach, bowel, liver, pancreatic, lung or ovarian cancer. Cancer data often has a time lag, but Cancer Research UK said it feared the outlook is now even worse following the Covid-19 pandemic.
As part of a new study, experts from University College London looked at eight major cancers and found more than a third of patients in England (37%), Wales (37%) and Scotland (39%) were diagnosed after being rushed into hospital. From 857,068 cancer patients in all the country regions, the percentage of diagnoses through emergency presentation ranged from 24% to 43%.
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People are now being urged to visit their GP if they have symptoms. An NHS spokesperson said coming forward for checks early "could save your life".
The NHS lists a number of symptoms that could be cancer warning signs on its website. While most of these can also be related to many other illnesses, most of which are not as serious, it is worth going to your doctor if you have concerns.
Bloating, stomach pain, and bowel problems such as diarrhea or constipation for no obvious reason, could be signs of cancer. You should speak to a GP if you've noticed any of these and it's lasted for three weeks or more.
Other bowel issues such as blood in your poo, a feeling of "not having fully emptied your bowels after going to the toilet", pain in your bottom, or loose or pale stools can also be signs. Other symptoms include unexplained bleeding, including bleeding between periods or having blood in your vomit.
The NHS website says you should speak to a doctor if you experience unexplained weight loss, (regular) tummy or back pain, or find any new lumps. It also lists a number of other potential warning signs.
You should speak to a GP if you experience any of the following:
Mole changes
such as changing colour, itching, bleeding, growth or becoming raised
Indigestion, heartburn and acid reflux
if you get any of these regularly and aren't sure what's causing them
Itchy or yellow skin
itchy skin, and your skin or the whites of your eyes turning yellow. Your pee may also look darker than usual
Feeling tired and unwell
With some cancers the symptoms can be harder to notice, but it’s important to speak to a GP if you think something is not right, or you keep feeling tired and unwell and you’re not sure why
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