Cancer treatments have significantly advanced in recent years, yet early detection remains crucial for the best chance of a successful battle against the disease. Certain cancers are less apparent and can be dubbed “silent” or “hidden”, as their symptoms might be easily dismissed as minor issues or mistaken for other illnesses.
Common symptoms like fatigue might be attributed to a hectic lifestyle or ageing, and other signs might mirror those of various ailments, which can delay diagnosis until the cancer is advanced. Bowel, cervical, liver, lung, ovarian, prostate, and pancreatic cancers fall into this category.
Dr Ahmed El-Modir, a consultant oncologist at Spire Little Aston Hospital, has taken a look at these seven “silent” cancers. And he has highlighted the risk factors which can contribute to their development, reports Surrey Live..
Bowel Cancer
According to Cancer Research UK, over 44,000 people in the UK receive a bowel cancer diagnosis annually. Early-stage bowel cancer can be effectively managed, but survival rates show that just above half of those diagnosed live beyond 10 years, with the condition claiming upwards of 16,800 lives each year.
The charity emphasises that most new cases affect those over 50. But they also state that more than half of cases are preventable.
Dr El-Modir said that bowel cancer, which affects the large intestines including the colon and rectum, may also be referred to as colon or rectal cancer depending on where it starts. He explained: “Common symptoms include persistent abdominal pain, bloating, cramps and changes in your bowel habits (eg constipation, diarrhoea or thinner stools). You may also notice blood in your stools, have the urge to open your bowels even after recently passing stools, and unintentionally lose weight.”
Those at risk
Discussing who is most vulnerable to bowel cancer, Dr El-Modir highlighted that age is a significant risk factor that increases with time. Additional risks he mentioned are having a family history of the disease diagnosed under 50 years old, as well as lifestyle factors such as smoking, excessive drinking, and a lack of physical activity.
Previous research indicates there’s an alarming connection between sugary drinks and the early onset of bowel cancer. Dr El-Modir mentioned findings that adults consuming two or more sugar-sweetened beverages daily, particularly women, may be “doubling” their risk of developing bowel cancer before reaching the age of 50.
Specific drinks causing concern include soft drinks, fruit-flavoured beverages, and sports and energy drinks.
Cervical Cancer
In terms of cervical cancer, data from Cancer Research UK points to over 3,200 new cases annually within the UK, resulting in approximately 850 deaths. While half of those diagnosed have a chance of surviving for a decade or longer, nearly all instances of cervical cancer could be thwarted, according to the charity.
All women over the age of 25 are offered regular cervical screening to test for human papillomavirus (HPV) infection – which is one of the main causes, according to the oncologist. Dr El-Modir highlighted: “Common symptoms include vaginal bleeding in between your periods, during or after sex and after menopause, heavier periods, changes to your vaginal discharge, pain during sex and pain in your lower back, lower abdomen and pelvic area.”
Those at risk
Those under 45 and with a weakened immune system are at greatest risk, warned Dr El-Modir. He also cautioned that you’re at greater risk of cervical cancer if you’ve given birth to children before age 17, had multiple births, have not been vaccinated against HPV or previously had bladder, kidney, vaginal or vulval cancer.
Liver cancer
Liver cancer sees almost 6,600 people diagnosed each year in the UK. However, with a 10-year survival rate of just eight per cent, it results in more than 5,800 deaths a year, says Cancer Research UK.
Dr El-Modir explained that the cancer can affect any part of your liver, which is located above your stomach on the right side of your body. Many symptoms of the disease relate to digestion issues such as nausea, vomiting, paler stools, darker urine and feeling full after eating only a small amount of food.
He added: “You may notice a lump on the top right side of your abdomen, feel pain in this area, and experience abdominal swelling that isn’t caused by eating.”
He highlighted other symptoms to be aware of, including jaundice, where the whites of your eyes turn yellow, pain in your right shoulder, unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, fatigue, fever and a general feeling of being unwell.
Those at risk
The oncologist explained that the risk of liver cancer is higher if you are male, have a close relative (sibling or parent) who had it, or are aged over 60. You are also at increased risk if you have diabetes, gallstones, hepatitis, HIV, liver cirrhosis or are infected with liver flukes (small parasites), he said.
Lung cancer
Lung cancer affects more than 49,200 people in the UK every year, according to Cancer Research UK figures. It claims almost 35,000 lives annually – accounting for more than one in five of all cancer deaths – making it the biggest cancer killer in the UK.
Dr El-Modir listed symptoms such as a persistent cough, breathlessness when performing activities that usually aren’t a strain, coughing up blood, fatigue, loss of appetite, pain in your chest or shoulders, repeated or persistent chest infections, and unintentional weight loss.
Those at risk
Dr El-Modir stated that seven out of 10 cases of lung cancer are caused by smoking. However, there are other causes.
He added: “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is more common among smokers, is also a major risk factor. Other risk factors for lung cancer include frequently breathing in diesel fumes and other toxic chemicals, such as arsenic, asbestos, coal fumes and silica.”
“Exposure to high levels of radon gas, which is found in nature but can become concentrated in buildings, also increases your risk of developing lung cancer.”
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer sees more than 7,500 women diagnosed each year in the UK, with over 4,100 dying as a result of the disease, according to Cancer Research UK. The oncologist clarified that ovarian cancer refers to cancer of the egg-producing organs in women (ovaries) and many symptoms overlap with those experienced during a period.
Dr El-Modir listed these as bloating, back pain, fatigue and persistent pain or tenderness in your pelvic area. He added: “Other symptoms include constipation, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, feeling full after eating only a small amount, unintentional weight loss, sudden urges to urinate and urinating more often.”
Those at risk
Those most at risk are women aged over 45, those with diabetes or endometriosis, women carrying faulty BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and those with a close female relative (mother or sister) who had ovarian cancer. Smokers and those who are overweight, as well as those taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treat menopause, also have a greater chance of developing the disease.
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer is a disease that affects any part of your pancreas which is located behind your stomach where your ribs meet at the bottom of your breastbone. It sees almost 10,800 new cases diagnosed annually.
However, with poor survival rates, it claims more than 9,550 lives. Just 5% of those diagnosed will survive for 10 years or more.
Dr El-Modir explains that many symptoms of pancreatic cancer are digestion-related, such as bloating, changes in stools, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. He said: “You may also experience back pain and pain in your upper abdomen, which feel better when you lean forward and worse when you lie down or eat.”
“Other symptoms include jaundice, where the whites of your eyes become yellow, unintentional weight loss, loss of appetite, fever and fatigue.”
Those at risk
Dr El-Modir cautioned that your risk of pancreatic cancer increases if you smoke, drink heavily, are overweight or aged over 75. He said: “Although most cases of pancreatic cancer do not run in families, you are at increased risk if a close relative (parent or sibling) had pancreatic cancer or if you carry a faulty BRCA2 gene.”
“Certain medical conditions also increase your risk, including chronic (long-term) pancreatitis, diabetes, gallstones and metabolic syndrome.”
Prostate cancer
Cancer Research UK has reported that there are over 55,000 new cases of prostate cancer in the UK annually. Despite more than 12,000 people dying from the disease each year nationwide, nearly eight out of ten will live for a decade or longer.
Dr El-Modir elaborated on how this cancer impacts the prostate gland in men, a walnut-sized organ responsible for producing the fluid part of semen. Located at the base of the bladder, it encircles the tube through which urine exits the body.
The oncologist highlighted that symptoms of prostate cancer typically only manifest when the tumour is large enough to press against the urethra. He noted: “Symptoms include difficulty urinating, needing to urinate more often and the sensation that your bladder is not completely empty even after urinating.”
Those at risk
Prostate cancer is predominantly found in men aged over 50, with the majority of cases occurring in men aged between 75 and 79. The risk escalates with age but other contributing factors include being overweight or obese, or having a close relative (father or brother) who had prostate cancer.
He further added: “Men of Afro-Caribbean descent have a higher risk than Caucasian men, while men of Asian descent have a lower risk than Caucasian men.”