Some men are notorious for procrastinating on their actions, especially getting routine checkups from their doctors. This is unfortunate, as routine preventive checkups can catch problems in the early stages of cancer and other diseases, when there are more chances and better options to be able to treat and cure the disease. Some men never even go to the doctor unless the woman next to them urges them to. Leonard Lichtenfeld, chief medical associate director of the National Cancer Society, learned that it is women who usually push men to be screened for cancer. Experts say it’s better for men to seek medical attention sooner rather than later when they notice cancer symptoms. Some cancer symptoms that show up in men are specific. They involve certain body parts that may even point directly to the possibility of cancer. For example, pain in certain parts of the body may have many causes and not necessarily be cancer, but that doesn’t mean you rule out cancer without going to the doctor. The #1 Cancer Symptom for Men: Breast Lump If you are like most men, you have never considered the possibility of having breast cancer. Although it is uncommon, it can happen, and Lichtenfeld notes that “every man’s breast should be examined by a physician.” In addition, the American Cancer Society lists several other worrisome signs involving breast cancer that both men and women should be aware of. They include: dimpled or wrinkled skin, sunken nipples, redness or peeling of the skin on the nipple or breast, and nipple discharge. When you consult your doctor about these signs, expect him to take an in-depth history and perform an examination. Then, depending on the diagnosis the doctor may order a mammogram, tissue biopsy or other tests. The 2nd Cancer Symptom in Men: Pain As people age, they often complain of more pain. But pain is likely an early symptom of cancer, although much of the pain is not caused by cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends seeking medical attention if you have pain that persists. Your doctor will take an in-depth medical history, get more details, and then decide if further tests are necessary. If it is not cancer, you will still benefit from seeking medical attention. This is because the doctor will find out the cause of the pain and let you know what to do about it. Cancer Symptom #3 in Men: Changes in the Testicles Testicular cancer usually occurs in men between the ages of 20 and 39. The American Cancer Society recommends that men should have routine checkups as part of their cancer-related screening. And some doctors recommend monthly self-exams. Dr. Yu told Reuters that it’s wise to tell your doctor about symptoms of testicular cancer during the exam. Yu noted that “any change in size, growth or shrinkage of the testicles should be noticed.” In addition, the discovery of lumps and swelling should not be overlooked, nor should there be a feeling of heaviness in the scrotum, as some testicular cancers occur very quickly. Therefore, early detection is very important. Yu mentioned a young man whose testicle had developed to the size of a grapefruit before he came to seek help. “If you find a hard lump in the testicle, it’s important to get it checked out immediately,” Yu said. Your doctor will do a testicular exam and also perform a thorough evaluation of your health. If cancer is suspected, blood tests will be needed. You may need an ultrasound of your scrotum, and your doctor may do a biopsy with a section of testicular tissue to check for cancer. Cancer Symptom #4 in Men: Lymph Node Changes If you notice a lump or swelling in your armpit, neck or anywhere else on your body, you likely need to be concerned about lymph node problems, says Hannah Linden, MD. says Dr. Linden. Linden is an internal medicine oncologist and associate professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine and a researcher at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash. “If you have a lymph node that’s gradually swelling and has been for more than a month, go see your doctor,” she says. Your doctor will examine you to find any related causes of the swollen lymph node, such as an infection. If there is no infection, the doctor will usually order a biopsy. Cancer symptom No. 5 in men: Fever A fever of unknown origin may suggest cancer. Of course it can also be a sign of pneumonia or other illnesses that need treatment. Most cancers will cause a fever at some point. Usually, the fever occurs after the cancer has spread and invaded other parts of the body from the original site of the disease. It is best not to ignore an unexplained fever when you are informed by the American Cancer Society that the fever is likely caused by blood cancers such as lymphoma and leukemia. Ask your doctor to do a test to find out the cause of the fever and do what should be done. Men’s Cancer Symptom #6: Weight Loss Without Weight Loss The physician says, “Unexpected weight loss is also a concern, and it’s hard for most of us to lose weight,” he says, talking a lot about how hard it is to lose a pound in a busy work schedule by getting more exercise or eating less. He says if someone loses 10 percent of their body weight in a short period of time, such as a few weeks, they need to see a doctor immediately. Your doctor will perform a routine exam, ask about your diet and exercise, and some other symptoms. Based on this information, you may be asked to undergo other tests. Men’s Cancer Symptom #7: Gastrointestinal Pain and Depression Physicians say, “Everyone who has gastrointestinal pain and feels depressed needs to be tested.” Experts have found a link between depression and pancreatic cancer, and other symptoms include jaundice or discolored stools (usually gray). Expect your doctor to take an in-depth history and keep good records, and he or she may order a chest X-ray, CT scan, MRI and possibly other scans and tests. Cancer Symptom #8 in Men: Fatigue Fatigue is another vague symptom that may indicate cancer in men, but can be caused by other problems. Such as fever, fatigue may also grow with the progression of cancer. The American Cancer Society has learned that fatigue can also occur in the early stages of cancer, such as leukemia, colon cancer or stomach cancer. If you feel fatigue frequently and it does not get better with rest, ask your doctor for a checkup. Your doctor will evaluate it and determine what is causing it, what can be done about it, etc. Men’s 9th cancer symptom: persistent cough The expected cough often comes with flu, allergies. Sometimes it can also be caused by side effects of medications. But a prolonged cough – lasting more than 3 to 4 weeks – should not be ignored, notes Ranit Mishori, MD, chief family physician at George Washington University School of Medicine. This type of cough warrants a visit from a family physician. It may be a symptom of cancer or may reflect other problems, such as chronic bronchitis or acid reflux. Your doctor will take an in-depth medical history, examine your throat, look at your lung function and, with special attention to you if you are a smoker, perhaps take X-rays. Once the cough is identified, your doctor will work with you to determine a treatment plan. Men’s 10th Cancer Symptom: Difficulty Swallowing Lichtenfeld says, “Some men report difficulty swallowing but they adapt to it. Over time, they change their diet to include more liquid foods. They start to drink more soup.” He notes, “But dysphagia is likely a sign of digestive tract cancer, such as esophageal cancer.” Let your doctor know you’re having trouble swallowing, and he or she may take an in-depth medical history, possibly a chest X-ray, or a gastroscopy of your esophagus and upper GI tract. Men’s Cancer Symptom #11: Skin Changes Mary Daly, MD, notes that “it’s important to look for changes not only in moles, the hallmark feature of skin cancer, but also in skin pigmentation.” Daly is an oncologist and the director of clinical genetics at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia. She also points to persistent bleeding or excessive scaling of the skin as reasons to be examined by a doctor. It’s hard to say how long to observe skin changes before visiting a doctor, but most specialists don’t recommend waiting more than a few weeks. To find the cause, doctors will take a careful history and examine carefully, and may order a biopsy to rule out cancer. Men’s 12th Cancer Symptom: Unexplained Bleeding “Whenever you have bleeding from any part of your body that you haven’t seen before, you should seek medical attention,” Lichtenfeld notes. “If you start coughing up blood or have blood in your sputum, or if you have blood in your stool or urine, you need to seek medical attention. ” Mishori notes, “Don’t simply blame blood in the stool on hemorrhoids; it could also be a sign of rectal cancer.” The doctor may ask questions about the condition and may order a colonoscopy, which is an examination of the colon with a flexible tube that has a mirror at the end. The purpose of a colonoscopy is to find out if there is cancer or pre-cancer or what is causing the bleeding. Men’s 13th Cancer Symptom: Oral Changes If you smoke tobacco you need to pay special attention to changes in your mouth or tongue, especially if you notice localized whitening. These changes may indicate leukoplakia, an irritated area that is likely to become cancerous and develop into oral cancer. You should tell your doctor or dentist about these changes. The dentist or doctor may take a careful history, examine the changes that have occurred, and decide whether to do further tests. Men’s 14th Cancer Symptom: Urinary Problems Yu says “men often have urinary problems when they reach a certain age. He talks about the desire to urinate, the urge to urinate or the feeling of not being able to urinate. “These problems come with old age,” he says, “but you should be aware of them, especially if the symptoms get worse. Your doctor will do a rectal exam to determine if you have an enlarged prostate. The prostate usually grows with age and usually causes benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Your doctor may also test your blood for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a protein enzyme produced by the prostate gland, which can detect the possibility of prostate cancer. If your doctor notices an abnormality in the prostate or a higher than normal PSA, you may be referred to a urologist or have a biopsy. Men’s 15th Cancer Symptom: Indigestion Many people, especially as they get older, think they’re having a “heart attack” when they have indigestion, even though they just ate and got drunk while watching a marathon. But persistent indigestion may indicate cancer of the esophagus, throat or stomach, so tell your doctor. Your doctor will take a careful history and ask about the symptoms of indigestion and decide what tests to run based on that history and your answers.