World Cancer Day: 12 most common symptoms of cancer you might be ignoring

Any symptoms you’re experiencing that affect your eating could be cancer.

Some medical conditions, including certain cancers, can make it difficult to swallow.

Talk to your doctor if you are having difficulty swallowing and the problem doesn’t go away.

It is normal to feel slight discomfort or pain sometimes after eating a large, fatty or spicy meal.

But if you have heartburn, (acid reflux) or indigestion a lot, or if it is particularly painful, then you should see your doctor.

Appetite loss is another sign of cancer. Speak to your doctor if you’ve noticed you’re not as hungry as usual and it’s not getting any better.

A change in your bowel habits, such as constipation, loose stools or pooing more or less frequently, can often be due to diet or lifestyle changes.

However, if have problems peeing, if there’s blood in your pee or poo, or you can’t understand why you’re experiencing changes, see your GP.

Problems peeing might be needing to go more often or urgently, experiencing pain when peeing, or not being able to go when you need to.

These symptoms can all be caused by conditions other than cancer, but it’s best to get them checked out.