- Chronic pruritus
- Swelling, vesicles, ulcers
- Seborrheic warts
- Dark keratosis
- Flaky skin
- Language color changes
- Strange hairs on the skin
- Erythematous edema changes
Help the development of the site, sharing the article with friends!
Itching, warts, unusual spots, hairs growing in strange places - we usually ignore them and attribute them to trivial skin problems. Meanwhile, it happens that they are the only symptom of cancer for a long time: lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, stomach cancer, lymphoma or even leukemia. What are the most common skin cancer symptoms? What should you pay attention to when looking at yourself in the mirror?
The skin symptoms of cancerare one of the forms of the so-called paraneoplastic syndrome (or paraneoplastic syndrome) and often precede the appearance of symptoms characteristic for a given tumor by up to several or several months - estimates show that they occur even in every tenth patient suffering from cancer.
They arise either as a result of autoimmune processes (when the body directs antibodies to fight cancer cells, but they can also attack he althy cells), or as a result of the production of molecules by cancer cells that reach other tissues with blood, in the one for the skin.
They're easy to overlook as they appear to be unrelated to cancer. Meanwhile, their proper diagnosis accelerates the correct diagnosis, and thus significantly increases the success of oncological treatment.
Whatskin symptoms of cancerappear most often? Which, for your own he alth, it is better not to ignore - and check during your next visit to the doctor?
Chronic pruritus
Itching of the skin - both generalized and localized in a specific place on the skin (not necessarily in the immediate vicinity of the tumor) or in a specific location on the body may herald cancer. Itching isn't always annoying, but it's always chronic.
Generalized itching that lasts more than six weeks may be the first sign of pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, leukemia, and cancers of the nervous system. In turn, itching in the scrotum can herald prostate cancer.
Swelling, vesicles, ulcers
Intense red swelling on the face, torso, arms and legs, which appear suddenly and on the periphery of which there are vesicles or pustules, may indicate hematopoietic system neoplasms, e.g. leukemiamyeloid or lymphoma. These changes are often accompanied by erosions and ulcerations on the mucous membranes.
Bubbles or pimples that ulcerate around the surgical scar may be a sign of myeloma. On the other hand, painful vesicles and erosions located on the mucous membranes - gums, lips, cheeks, tongue, conjunctiva, genitals or around the anus may indicate non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or sarcomas.
On the other hand, painful ulcers and skin lesions that appear even after minor skin injuries may indicate lymphoma, leukemia or myeloma.
Seborrheic warts
Each of us has them, but a rapid rash of seborrheic warts on the body, accompanied by persistent, exhausting itching, can be a sign of stomach cancer, as well as cancers of the haematopoietic system, lung or breast.
Dark keratosis
A harbinger of stomach cancer may also be the so-called dark keratosis, i.e. brown discoloration located in the area of skin folds - in the groin, at the elbow and knee bends, or in the armpits.
Flaky skin
Flaky lesions can also be a skin symptom of cancer. Those covering the entire skin may herald myeloma, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, lung cancer, cervical cancer, or breast cancer. On the other hand, white, small but diffuse lesions that resemble ichthyosis and are located in the armpits, groin, elbow folds and under the knees, with often accompanying "goosebumps" (follicular keratosis) may signal Hodgkin's disease.
Language color changes
The skin cancer of the pancreas, kidney or lung cancer may change the color of the tongue to vivid red - in this case, an additional symptom may be the so-called creeping of the epidermis, i.e. its separation as a result of rubbing the skin.
Strange hairs on the skin
The neoplastic process in the body may also be demonstrated by the rapid growth of light, thin and quite long (3-4 cm) hairs in places where they should not be present: on the face, in the ears, then on the skin of the body (excluding the palms, soles, genital areas). This symptom may herald lung cancer, bowel cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer, and acute leukemia.
Erythematous edema changes
The skin symptom of neoplasm may also be erythema accompanied by edema. Erythematous and oedematous changes in the area of the face (especially around the eyes) and in the limbs may indicate cancer of the nipple, lung or nasopharynx. In turn, exfoliating erythema with a slight exudation onnipple and nipple area may suggest cancer of the anus, prostate, bladder, or cervix.
Round or oval erythematous lesions arranged in foci resembling a trunk cross-section may herald cancer of the esophagus, lung, breast or intestine. In contrast, purple erythema around the eyelids, accompanied by swelling of the eye sockets, may accompany ovarian or breast cancer in women and cancer of the lung or gastrointestinal tract in men.
