A leading GP is warning people to seek medical attention if they spot a number of warning signs that could be cancer.
It comes after 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.
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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%.
Speaking on ITV's This Morning on Tuesday, Dr Nighat Arif listed nine unusual symptoms that should prompt you to see your doctor.
She told co-hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield the warning signs were: coughing up blood, bleeding from the back passage or blood in urine, unintentional weight loss, night sweats, bloating that lasts three weeks and is persistent, a persistent cough for three weeks or so, fatigue you can't put your finger on, and lumps and bumps that you find "anywhere".
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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