The 4ways Guide to
Common Cancers
How to spot the signs
The four most common cancers found in the UK are breast, prostate, bowel, and lung cancer.
Here at 4ways, we want you to be fully educated on what to look out for, so that you can have the best chance of beating cancer.
We’ve put together this guide to help you recognise some of the warning signs of the most common cancers in the UK, in an effort to educate, inform, and save lives.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is largely found in the elderly, with over 4 out of 10 people with lung cancer being over the age of 75. The most common cause of primary lung cancer is smoking; this was the cause of lung cancer in 70 out of 100 cases.
The typical symptoms of lung cancer to watch out for are:
- A persistent cough (cough that doesn’t go away, or gets worse over time)
- Chest pain
- Wheezing or having trouble breathing
- Coughs that contain blood
- Unexpected weight loss that can’t be explained
- Respiratory problems that continually return, such as bronchitis
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is usually thought to be a cancer only found in women, but this is a misconception. Anyone can get breast cancer, regardless of gender, but it is the most common type of cancer among women in the UK.
CoppaFeel and Lorraine Kelly’s Change + Check campaign are initiatives that aim to encourage women to check their breasts for any changes so that breast cancer can be caught and treated early.
Symptoms for breast cancer to look out for are:
- New lumps in your chest area
- Nipple changes, such as a nipple becoming inverted
- Swelling in your chest area
- Any change in shape or size
- Any change in skin texture
Bowel Cancer
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK and is generally found in people over 50. It is a highly treatable cancer, if caught early.
The NHS offer a free, at-home screening test, called the Faecal Immunochemical Test, to eligible patients that can help to spot the early signs of bowel cancer.
Other symptoms include:
- Changes in bowel habits (diarrhoea or constipation)
- Blood in your stool
- Looser stools
- Unexplained weight loss
- Pain in your abdomen or back passage
- A lump in your abdomen or back passage
- Feeling bloated
- Feeling sick
- Cramping pain in your abdomen
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the UK, affecting 1 in 8 in their lifetime. Over 50,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. It is most prevalent in men over 50 and often does not present symptoms until it has progressed. More than 12,000 men die from prostate cancer every year.
There’s not many symptoms warning of prostate cancer, which is why it’s so important to check if you are at risk, but these are some things to look out for:
- Frequent urination
- Difficulty urinating
- Blood in urine or semen
- Painful urination
If caught early enough, most cancers are treatable. If any of these symptoms are familiar to you, it’s best to get checked out by a professional as soon as possible.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and is not medical advice. If you have concerns about your health, please speak to a healthcare professional.
