To ensure timely diagnosis and improve treatment success, detecting early signs, especially silent signs, becomes essential.
There are many subtle signs that a woman may be rejected. These symptoms may seem manageable, easy to overlook, or may coincide with other daily factors such as stress, hormonal changes, or fatigue.
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However, the early signs of Cancer is often quiet and non-specific, making it easy to ignore and tolerate until it becomes significantly annoying and begins to affect daily functioning.
Here awareness becomes crucial. Underestimating symptoms that persist for a long time can delay diagnosis and postpone treatment, ultimately reducing the chances of timely intervention and better health outcomes.
A woman’s menstrual cycle, especially the follicular phase, ovulation, luteal phase, and menstruation, involves many emotional and physical changes. As a result, women tend to normalize any unusual symptoms and dismiss them as routine hormonal fluctuations when they could mean something more serious.
To understand the various subtle and persistent symptoms, we spoke to Dr. Sabyata Gupta, Head, Department of Gynecology and Gynecology Oncology at Medanta, Gurugram, who also admitted that social conditioning often encourages women to normalize discomfort. But not all symptoms can be normalized by saying “you’re a woman,” because ignoring early warning signs can have serious consequences.
The scale of cancer in India is alarming, especially because late diagnosis often leads to worsening outcomes. “In India, one woman dies from cervical cancer every eight minutes. “Approximately 120,000-125,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in India every year, accounting for nearly one-fifth (18-21%) of the global burden of cervical cancer,” Dr Gupta said.
Most importantly, ignoring the signs leads to the most serious concern: diagnosis in advanced stages, when treatment becomes more complex and results are significantly less favorable.
The gynecologist indicated that the symptoms often overlap with: stress, aging, menstrual disorders, or digestive system disorders. This can lead to reassurance and shifting focus, causing women to delay or avoid seeking appropriate medical evaluation.
Top silent signs
Dr. Sabyata Gupta confirmed that the initial signs are not severe pain or any exciting symptoms in the initial stages. She added: “It appears in the form of small but persistent changes in the body.”
Here are some of the signs I mentioned:
- Persistent physical changes: Persistent flatulence, new or unexplained pelvic discomfort, or early satiety.
- Monthly or hormonal changes: Irregular or heavy menstrual bleeding, bleeding between periods, bleeding after intercourse, or any vaginal bleeding after menopause.
- Changes in energy and weight: Persistent fatigue, unexplained weight loss or gain.
- Daily symptoms that do not resolve: Persistent urinary urgency, changes in bowel habits, chronic cough or shortness of breath, or a lump that doesn’t go away.
Cancer-specific symptoms
Next, each type of cancer can present with its own set of symptoms. According to the gynecologist, the most common cancers among Indian women include cancers of the breast, cervix, colon, rectum, ovary and oral cavity. However, cancers may initially show unusual or subtle symptoms that do not match the usually expected signs, making early detection more difficult. There are some atypical early symptoms to watch out for.
Dr. Sabyata Gupta listed these:
1. Ovarian cancer
- Ovarian cancer often presents with vague abdominal symptoms such as bloating, pelvic pain, early satiety, or changed bowel habits.
- This cancer has gained a reputation as a “silent killer.”
2. Cervical and endometrial cancers
- Its presence is indicated by abnormal vaginal bleeding, between menstrual periods, after intercourse, or any postmenopausal bleeding.
3. Breast cancer
- Breast cancer does not always appear as a visible mass.
- Warning signs may include nipple discharge, skin changes such as dimpling or redness, nipple retraction, a change in the size or shape of the breast or persistent breast pain.
4. Colorectal cancer
• Colorectal cancer may initially appear as changes in bowel habits, unexplained anemia, abdominal discomfort, or rectal bleeding.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician with any questions about a medical condition.
Adrija Dey’s penchant for observation feeds her storytelling instinct. As a lifestyle journalist, she creates compelling, relatable narratives across diverse touchpoints of the human experience, including wellness, mental health, relationships, interior design, home decor, food, travel, and fashion that gently nudge readers toward living a little better. For her, stories exist in flesh and bone, carried by human vessels and shaped by everyday endeavours. It’s the little stories we live and share that make us human. After all, people and their traditions are the most natural and raw repositories of stories, and revealing them, for her, is like peeling an orange under the winter afternoon sun. Always up for a chat, she believes the best stories come from unfiltered chatter, where “too much information” is kind of the goal. An alumnus of Indraprastha Women’s College, Delhi University, and an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi, Adrija spends her spare hours sipping on herbal tea and a sultry thriller, scribbling inner monologues that she loosely calls poetic pieces, often in the presence of her succulents. On lazier days, she can be found binge-watching, for the nth time, one of her comfort shows in the holy trinity: The Office (US), Brooklyn Nine-Nine, or Modern Family. However, dancing alone to peppy playlists is a daily ritual she swears by religiously.Read more
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